


At Last

by Hughville, Pyewacket75



Series: The Homecoming Trilogy [2]
Category: House M.D.
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Original Character Death(s), Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-09-08
Packaged: 2018-07-22 17:33:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 43,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7447966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hughville/pseuds/Hughville, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pyewacket75/pseuds/Pyewacket75
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shortly after the events of Homecoming, House and Cameron move forward with their relationship and their lives.  Wilson also finds love with Cameron's sister and Blythe House makes a decision that changes her life.  A death changes things for all of them and the machinations of Cameron's ex threatens all of them and Cuddy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This picks up a few days after the ending of Homecoming. 
> 
> We don not own House or its characters. Those all belong to David Shore and Co. along with Fox and NBC Universal. We just like to make House and Cameron kiss and stuff.

Thursday morning, a loud banging on the door woke House and Cameron.   
“House! Open this door right now!” Cuddy shouted from the entry.  
House sat up and stretched. Cameron got out of bed and started to dress.  
“Bah!” House squawked. “What are you doing? No work means naked all the time.”  
She stood holding her bra. “But, Cuddy…”  
“Pfft. She’ll leave. Now, panties off and back in bed.”  
She sighed, removed her panties, and dropped them back on the floor. As she got back into bed, they heard the front door open.  
House lay back and folded his hands behind his head. “She found the key,” he commented calmly. “Five, four, three, two, one.”  
The bedroom door slammed open and Cuddy stormed in. She stopped short at the sight of them in bed. Cameron pulled the covers over her shoulders to hide her nakedness.  
“What the hell are you doing here?” Cuddy snarled at Cameron.  
“She was sleeping. So was I. Before that we were having hot, sweaty, mind-blowing sex. Why are you here?” House asked. “I mean, I’ve always been up for a threesome but I don’t think you’re Cameron’s type.”  
“You’re late for work,” she informed him staring angrily at Cameron. Cameron slid closer to House. Tension radiated off her though she appeared calm.  
He looked at Cameron in confusion. “Didn’t I quit?”  
“You did.”  
“I quit because she fired you and acted like a spoiled toddler, right? I didn’t imagine that?”  
Cameron shook her head, never taking her eyes off Cuddy.. “Nope. She fired me then you quit.”  
House sat up and looked at Cuddy. “There. You got a nice review. Now, hop back on your broom and fly on out of here. I’m sure the flying monkeys are looking for you.”   
“No, absolutely not!” Cuddy told them folding her arms. “You can’t quit. I won’t allow it.”  
“I don’t need your permission to quit. I can see where something like that might confuse you, though.”  
“Get up out of that bed, get dressed and get to work,” Cuddy growled.  
“Hearing’s off today, too, I see,” House sighed. “Might want to see a doc about that. Anyway, is there something I need to sign or some secret handshake I need to learn?”  
“You. Are. Not. Quitting!” Cuddy exploded. “And you are not dating her! I have waited for nearly twenty years for you to get your shit together so we can finally be together!! She’s half your age! Do you honestly believe I’m going to stand by and let you date her now??”  
House lowered his head and stared at her. “Let me?” he said in a dangerously soft tone. “I don’t recall needing your permission to date anyone.”  
She turned on Cameron. “Get out!! I’ll make sure you never work as a doctor again!”  
Cameron laughed and relaxed against House. “You’re jealous. You’re jealous because you’ve hung around all this time waiting for him and now he wants to be with me. You’re pathetic. And I don’t need anything from you!””  
Cuddy turned back to House, still gesturing to Cameron. “You can’t want her! I’ve been waiting-”  
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” House sighed. “Twenty years. Doesn’t change the fact I’m with Cameron now.”  
Cuddy lunged forward and slapped him. She raised her hand to hit him again but he grabbed her hand.  
“Touch me again,” he told her. “Go on. See what happens.”  
Cuddy pulled her wrist free and stepped back. House looked at her from beneath lowered brows.  
“Now, get out of our apartment or I’ll call the police,” he said in a low dangerous voice.  
Cuddy looked from one to the other. “We are _not_ done,” she told him, then turned and walked out. A moment later, they heard the front door slam.  
“Hungry?” House asked Cameron.   
Cameron just stared at him with wide eyes.

 

The rain hammered against the bedroom window and thunder rumbled loudly. House was asleep but Cameron was awake, wiping away tears as she tried to be quiet so she wouldn’t wake House.  
In a matter of days her life did a complete one-eighty and she wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not. The only good thing was she and House were now seeing each other, and sharing a bed as well. She wanted him for so long and now they were together. But at what cost? They were both out of a job and she had no idea what would happen next.   
Maybe the whole thing was a mistake. Maybe she should just move back home, tell House to go back to PPTH and all would be fine. Would Cuddy take him back? Probably, if Cameron stayed away. But where would she go? She’d need to revamp her resume and start looking at other hospitals and…  
“What’s wrong?” House asked in a deep, sleepy voice. That simple question voiced in the dark just made her cry harder.  
“N-nothing. Go back to sleep.”  
“It’s kinda hard with that thunder every five minutes and you sniffling.”  
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you…”  
House rolled over, turned the side lamp on the lowest setting and looked at her. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy as she wiped away more tears with the back of her hand.  
“Are you going to tell me why you’re crying or do I have to play twenty questions?” he asked as he pulled her against him so her cheek rested on his chest. She could hear the strong, steady beat of his heart and it comforted her.  
“I can’t sleep. My brain won’t shut off. I keep thinking about everything that’s happened this weekend. It all happened so fast and not in a good way.”  
“Oh I dunno,” he said as he traced invisible patterns on her shoulder, “some parts were pretty good as I recall.”  
She managed to smile then. “Yeah, that’s the only saving grace about this whole thing.” She sat up and looked into his eyes, hoping to find an answer in them. “What are we going to do now?”  
“Enjoy some time off, for one,” he said, as if it were obvious. “We could go back to Alpine. I was talking with your father the other day. Did you know they’re building a hospital?”  
She blinked. “He mentioned it a few years ago but I haven’t heard anything about it since. Where?”  
“He didn’t say, but once it’s completed they might just need a Diagnostics department. And I know a damn good Oncologist for the Oncology department.”  
“I’ll have to ask him about it. I wouldn’t mind going back home, even though we just came from there. It all seemed rushed because of the party. I didn’t get to spend much time with GG because I was so busy fighting Greyson off.”  
“Mhm,” House nodded as he kissed her. “And we never did get to christen all the rooms, either.”  
Cameron playfully smacked his chest. “I thought we agreed that our relationship wouldn’t be just about sex.”  
“We did, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have lots of it.” He began placing kisses all over her face and neck, and she sighed with contentment.   
“Mmm...that’s nice…”  
“I’ll get you back to sleep,” he murmured in her ear as his hands began exploring her body under the covers searching for the spot that drove her crazy. When she gasped, he knew he’d found it.  
“How do you always know all the right places?” she whispered as she rolled her head back to give him more access to her neck.  
“It’s a gift. I studied the female anatomy in great detail before I even knew I wanted to be a doctor,” he said between kisses.  
Cameron giggled. “I’ll bet you had to beat the girls off with a stick.”  
House smirked. “There was plenty of beating off, that’s for sure. Sadly, there were never any girls present.”  
“Sick, House.”  
He shrugged and went on kissing her neck until his lips moved up and found hers. She rolled them over so she was lying on top of him and he smiled up at her. “Well, now that you have me here, what are you going to do with me?”  
She rubbed herself against his growing erection and smiled back. “Oh, I think I can come up with at least one thing.”  
***  
“So what’s the skuttlebutt?” House asked as he and Cameron met Wilson at a local pub the next day.  
“Cuddy is still pissed but I think she realized she was stupid to fire Cameron and I think she may be reconsidering that decision.”  
Cameron shook her head. “After seeing her go batshit crazy yesterday, I want no part of her or PPTH anymore.”  
“That’s probably a good idea,” Wilson said to her. “House and I have known Cuddy for a long time and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so...unhinged.”  
“I just don’t understand what her problem is. She treats you like crap but now she wants you only because she can’t have you,” Cameron sighed.  
House shrugged. “That ship sailed a long time ago. She needs to get over it.”  
“So what are you going to do now?” Wilson asked them.  
“We’re going back to my father’s house. You wanna come?” Cameron asked him.   
“Yeah. Hilary would be all over him like white on rice,” House chuckled.  
“Who’s that?”  
“My sister. She’s a widow, never remarried.”  
“She might just be needy enough for you. You should come,” House agreed. “You’ve gotta see this place to believe it. It’s like something out of an architectural magazine. And I’m sure GG will love you.”  
“And GG is…?”  
“My grandmother. And she adores House.”  
Wilson’s eyes widened. “Now this I gotta see.”  
“Don’t act so surprised,” Cameron chuckled as she playfully slapped Wilson’s arm. “House knows how to turn on the charm when he needs to. He was very sweet to GG,” she said as she smiled adoringly at House.  
Wilson didn’t know what to make of it, but he definitely wanted to see House out of his element, living among the rich.  
“I’m in. When do we go?”  
“Don’t you have to ask Cuddy for time off?”  
“I will. How long are you going for?”  
House shrugged.”I don’t know yet. Could be a few days, could be a few weeks.”  
“Maybe Wilson should follow us, then he can leave whenever he wants.”  
“He’s not gonna wanna leave,” House said with a sly grin.  
***  
“I’d like to take some time off,” Wilson told Cuddy the next day. He stood in front of her desk with his hands on his hips. He was mentally prepared for a fight.  
“What for?”  
“I need a reason now? I just want some time off and I have time to use up. What’s the big deal?”  
“Does this have anything to do with House?”  
“That’s really none of your business. If you don’t approve it, I’ll just go to the board and they’ll grant it. I don’t like going over your head on something so trivial but I will. Really, Lisa. It’s a few days. A week tops, and it’s been pretty quiet around here. With House gone, you don’t need me to babysit. Does it really matter where I’m going or what I’ll be doing? Because legally, I don’t need a reason to use some of my vacations days. My department runs just fine when I’m not there. I can clear all my appointments or hand them off. If I need to come back then I will, but it would have to be a damn good reason. So?”  
“Has House calmed down enough to speak to me rationally?”  
Wilson blinked. “Has he calmed down? You should be asking yourself that. You practically attacked him in the parking lot and then at their apartment! Luckily for you, he seemed okay when I saw him this morning. Are you going to come to your senses and realize that he’s with Cameron now?”  
“He can’t be with her. He’s her supervisor…”  
“And in the unlikely event that you and he were to hook up, you’re his supervisor. What would you do then? Besides, you fired her and he quit.”  
Cuddy didn’t have an answer, and just stared into space.   
“Well, I’ll be taking that time off then. I’m leaving after work and I’ll be back on Monday. Maybe give House a call and apologize. That might help your case, but I doubt it. If you’re not willing to let Cameron come back, there’s no point. She’s an asset to his team and they work well together. Why would you want to get in the way of that? Think about it.”


	2. Chapter 2

Cuddy picked up the phone and dialed House’s number. He answered on the third ring.  
“Are you going to hire Cameron back?” he asked before she could even get a word in.  
“No, but I am willing to let you off clinic duty all together and expand your office. I talked to the board and they approved a twenty-five percent raise for you. That’s huge,” she told him. “Plus, you can set your own hours.”  
“I already do that,” he reminded her. “I don’t care about the money or a bigger office. I will admit the prospect of not having to deal with clinic patients is tempting but I want Cameron on my team. No Cameron means no House.”  
“You’re being ridiculous!” she shouted. “She’s just some random girl! She isn’t even a very good doctor!”  
“Now, see, you’re just being mean because you’ve been denied access to House’s House of Pleasure. Are we done?”  
“You have to come back to work. The board is up my ass since you quit.”  
“I seem to recall you like things up your ass,” he chuckled and hung up.  
Cuddy ground her teeth in rage and slammed the phone down.

After getting some ideas from House and Cameron about what to pack, Wilson drove to House’s and then followed them to Alpine.  
He was amazed at the size of the place and very impressed. He could also see why House was so willing to go back.  
Mundell came out of the front door with Hilary in tow and Wilson watched with surprise at the warm welcome House received. He felt like he was living on another planet.  
“Nice to have you back, House. Who’s your friend?” Mundell inquired.  
“Yes, who’s this?” Hilary asked, giving Wilson a sultry smile.  
“This is our good friend, Doctor James Wilson. He’s the head of Oncology at Princeton Plainsboro.”  
“How prestigious,” Hilary purred as she linked her arm through Wilson’s. “How about a drink?”  
Wilson was at a loss for words as she led him inside with the three of them looking on in amusement.  
“Seems like a nice fellow,” Mundell said as they went inside.  
“He’s on the lookout for wife number four. You’ve been warned,” House chuckled.  
Mundell arched his eyebrow. “He’s been married three times already? But he’s so young, yet…”  
“Don’t let his boy-next-door looks fool you, Mundell,” House told him. “They don’t call him the Panty Peeler of PPTH for nothing.”  
“He’s a womanizer?”  
“No, I wouldn’t call him that,” Cameron said as she shook her head. “He just likes women and has a hard time staying with one for any length of time.”  
“He’s drawn to the vulnerable, needy types, and once they’re not needy anymore, he gets bored and moves on. Lock up yer daughter,” House teased and followed Mundell to the library. Cameron went off to put their things in her bedroom and change clothes, giving House a chance to talk to her father in private.  
“So, I guess you’re probably wondering why we’re back so soon,” House said as Mundell handed him a glass of Scotch.  
“The thought had crossed my mind, not that I didn’t enjoy last weekend. I did, drama aside.”  
“Yeah. I wanted to ask you about this new hospital you’re building.”  
“It’s built,” Mundell said as he took a seat across from House in front of the fire. “Or at least the outside. They’re working on the interior as we speak. It should be completed in a few months if all goes well.” He sat forward and looked at House seriously. “Are you looking to relocate?”  
“We might be. We, as in Cameron and I. Possibly Wilson, too. PPTH is….well, it’s toxic and we’re looking to move on. Any chance you’d be interested in a Diagnostics department?”  
“Like you run at your hospital?”  
“Exactly.”  
“I’ve been doing some research. I know your success, and I know your reputation. Do you believe you can be just as successful at a different hospital?”  
“If you build it, they will come,” House said with a smirk, and Mundell chuckled. “Seriously, they’ll find me wherever I am. I get a lot of referrals and I choose my own cases. Cuddy had a different view of that, often making me take certain ones if it was a big donor but if the puzzle doesn’t interest me, there’s no point. It’s not my fault their doctor is useless.” At Mundell’s shocked look, House returned it with a serious one of his own. “Look, I can’t save everyone, but I’ll move heaven and earth to save the ones I can. That’s all I can do. Just make sure the administrator you hire isn’t a complete moron.”  
“Name your terms. I’ll think it over.”  
House sat back and smiled. “I pick my own team, I need an office and a conference room to do the DDX’s...that’s diagnostician talk for saving lives,” he added at Mundell’s look of confusion. “I won’t do paperwork and I won’t work in a clinic wiping snotty noses or treating crotch rot.”  
“There is no clinic at the hospital.”  
“That’s a relief. Where is the hospital, anyway?”  
“North Carolina. Mother was born and raised there. Beautiful country, that.” There was a pause and then Mundell looked at House. “And while we’re on the subject of family…”  
House shifted uncomfortably in his chair. _Here it comes_.  
“What are your intentions towards my Allison? I know the two of you got together under false pretenses, but I can tell there are feelings between you two that run deeper than friendship.”  
“We’ve been working together for a few years. We’ve spent a lot of time together. You know she was with Robert Chase before?”  
Mundell nodded. “She seemed happy with him when she mentioned him in our weekly phone calls.”  
“He liked her more than she liked him. That’s all it was. She invited me to GG’s party because she knew I’d keep things on the level. She also hoped that I’d scare Greyson away. Which I did. Chase couldn’t scare anyone.”  
“Look, I’m happy as long as Allison’s happy. You seem to make her happy, and that’s all I want for her.”  
“I hear a “but” coming.”  
“You are considerably older than she is.”  
“Don’t remind me,” House sighed as he sat back in his chair and sipped the scotch. “We haven’t officially been together very long. Neither of us knows what’s going to happen. It might not work out, and if it doesn’t, then it wasn’t meant to. I’ve been in relationships before. They didn’t end well, for various reasons. I can’t promise I won’t hurt her, either.”  
Mundell’s jaw clenched just like Cameron’s did, and House found that amusing. “But who’s to say she won’t hurt me, either?”  
“Allison would never hurt anyone.”  
“Oh I don’t know about that. She broke Chase’s heart,” House said with a chuckle.  
“She did?”  
“Yeah.”  
“I wouldn’t put it quite like that,” Cameron said as she came into the room, took House’s scotch from him and sipped. Her hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail and she wore a floral dress and white sandals. Tiny diamond earrings and a simple silver bracelet completed her look.  
“How would you put it?” House asked her.  
“I told him that going away with him wasn’t going to make me fall in love with him and that I didn’t want to go to Arizona.” She took another sip. “I happen to like Princeton.”  
“But you like Asheville even more,” Mundell pointed out.  
“It is beautiful there. Why?”  
“That’s where the new hospital is. It’s in the final stages of construction. Greg was telling me about his plans for running a Diagnostics department.”  
“That’s a good idea, Dad. He’s made a name for himself worldwide. He’s never short on cases. We got dozens of referrals every day. His department at PPTH brought in a lot of money from the donors.”  
“What happens to the ones you don’t take?” Mundell inquired.  
“I don’t know. We can’t save everyone. There’s only one of him.”  
“Problem is, there are tons of incompetent doctors. Thankfully, your daughter isn’t one of them. She’s been an asset to my team and I want her to co-head the department,” House said as he looked over at her, enjoying the look of shock on her face.  
“You want me to…”  
“I need someone to keep me in line,” he grinned at her. While she recovered from her shock, she smiled at him.  
“Is this a private party?” Wilson inquired as he stood in the doorway. He wore neatly pressed khaki pants, a brown leather belt, a navy blue dress shirt open at the throat and shiny brown loafers. House told him the family dressed up a bit for dinner so he hoped he was dressed appropriately.  
“Not at all, come in, please,” Mundell gestured to the couch. “What’s your poison?”  
“I’d love a beer,thanks.”  
“Of course,” he said and handed him one from the bar fridge. “We were just discussing the new hospital.”  
“Oh yeah, House mentioned that. Where is it?”  
“Near Asheville.”  
Wilson arched his eyebrow. “As in North Carolina? Nice.”  
“It’s between Black Mountain and Asheville. My mother was born and raised in Black Mountain. We have a cabin. When the girls were young, we spent our summers there. Mother always wanted to do something to give back to the town. It's managed to remain much like it was when she was growing up. There are no strip malls, big box stores or even a Langstons. Allison especially loved it there. She and Mother spent hours exploring the mountains or shopping on Cherry Street.” Mundell smiled. “They always got strawberry cokes at the little ice cream shop. It’s closed now. Sorry, I didn’t mean to ramble.”  
“Oh, I didn’t know the ice cream shop closed,” Cameron said a tinge of sadness in her voice. “I’ll miss those strawberry cokes. Is the bookstore still there?”  
“It is,” Mundell told her with a smile.  
She turned to House. “You’ll love it. There are walls of books and little rooms filled with them.”  
“Where is your cabin?” Wilson asked.  
“High Top Colony,” Mundell told him. “It’s a wonderful little community up on one of the mountains just outside town.”  
“Is your cabin anything like this house?” House asked.  
“No, it’s the house my mother grew up in. Her parents built it in 1910. We’ve made a few improvements but tried to retain as much of the original house as possible.”  
“There’s a stone fireplace in the living room her father built,” Hilary said as she entered the room. She wore a sleeveless boat neck green dress that fell just below her knees. Her hair was twisted in a knot at the base of her head, she wore very little make up, silver earrings and a delicate silver necklace. Simple silver flats completed her outfit. She looked nothing like the way she did when they arrived. House looked at Wilson and arched an eyebrow. Wilson ignored him and made room for Hilary on the couch. She sat close to him but they didn’t touch. She just smiled at him.  
“Do you want your usual?” Mundell asked her.  
She shook her head. “I’ll just have some club soda.”  
Mundell’s eyes widened but he didn’t say anything as he got her a glass of club soda.  
“Where’s GG?” she asked. “She’s usually up from her nap by now. It’s almost time to get changed for dinner.”  
“That’s true,” her father replied.  
“I’ll go check on her. She’s probably reading,” Cameron said. “You know how caught up in her books she gets.”  
“So that’s where you get it from,” House smiled.  
She smiled and walked out of the room. As she mounted the stairs, Hillary appeared at her side.  
“How much of a womanizer is James?” she asked as they walked up the stairs.  
Cameron looked at her in surprise. “Why?”  
Hilary shrugged and color bloomed on her cheeks. “Just curious.”  
They reached the landing and headed for GG’s room.  
“Well, he isn’t quite as bad as House makes him seem. He’s cheated on all his wives, though.”  
Hillary waved her hand in dismissal. “Most men cheat when they haven’t found the right woman. I tried to seduce him but he told me he didn’t know me well enough for that. I really like him. We only spoke for a few minutes but, Alliecat, he reminds me of Rick. He told me I need to be my true self. Rick did, too.”  
They stopped outside GG’s room. “He isn’t Rick, Bunny,” Allison reminded her.  
“I know. But he’s seems like a good man. I could fall in love with him very easily but I can’t be hurt again. I don’t think I’d survive it.”  
Allison smiled. “There are never any guarantees but I know him. He’d never knowingly hurt you.”


	3. Chapter 3

Cameron knocked on GG’s door. When she didn’t respond, Hilary opened it. GG lay in bed, sleeping. The two sisters approached her bed and Cameron leaned over her. She noticed a slight blue tinge to GG’s lips. Her breath left her and she felt panic rise in her chest. She pressed her fingers against her grandmother’s throat.  
“She doesn’t have a pulse!” she cried. She started CPR. “Go call for House and Wilson! HURRY!!”  
Hilary raced from the room and a couple minutes or so later, House raced into the bedroom. A moment later, Wilson, Hilary, Mundell and Bennings entered. House reached around Cameron and felt for a pulse then he put his hand under GG’s nose.  
“Allison,” he said softly. “She’s gone.”  
“NO!” Cameron yelled as she continued compressions. “Call 911!!”  
House wrapped his arm around her waist and gently pulled her back. “She’s gone, Allison. I’m sorry.”  
Cameron turned and buried her face in his chest. She sobbed uncontrollably. Hilary cried out and lunged for the bed, but Wilson grabbed her and held her. Mundell stood and stared in shock at the body of his mother. Bennings stood beside him barely breathing as tears gathered in his eyes.  
“Funeral home,” Mundell said. “Funeral home.”  
House looked at Wilson over Cameron’s head. “Shock. All of them.”  
“I don’t have anything to give them. I didn’t bring my medical bag,” Wilson responded, holding Hilary tight.  
Bennings shook his head and wiped his eyes. “The other Mrs. Langston left several prescription drugs. I believe one of them was Xanax.”  
“Let’s get everyone out of here and call the police,” House said. “Jeeves, bring me the Xanax.”  
“I will call the police and the funeral home. Where shall I bring the medication?” he asked.  
“Allison’s room.”  
Bennings nodded and left. Wilson and House lead Cameron, Hilary and Mundell out of the room. They entered Cameron’s room and Wilson lifted both Cameron and Hilary onto the bed. They curled around each other and continued to sob. House guided Mundell to a chair and gently pushed him down into it.  
Mundell looked up at him. His face was devoid of color and his pupils were dilated. “She was sleeping. She was just sleeping.”  
“I’m sorry, Mundell,” House said, his tone gentle.  
Mundell slumped forward and put his hands over his face. House looked at Wilson. Slowly he walked over to his best friend.  
“Natural causes,” he whispered.  
“How old was she again?” Wilson asked.  
“Ninety.”  
Wilson nodded. “Then, yeah, probably. At least she went peacefully in her sleep.”  
House looked at his watch. “Where is Jeeves?”  
Wilson shrugged. “He has a lot to do. It’s only been a couple minutes. I’ll go get GG ready for the funeral people. A family member will have to identify her to the police when they arrive.”  
“Shit. I forgot about that.”  
Cameron sat up. She got off the bed and wiped the tears off her face. “I can do it,” she told them. More tears slid down her cheeks but she looked resolute.  
House nodded and held out his hand. She took it and looked up at him. “I can do it,” she repeated.  
“Of course you can. Do you want me to go with you?” he asked.  
She shook her head. “No, stay here with Daddy and Bunny. Make sure they take the Xanax. Come on, Wilson.”  
She walked out of the room with Wilson behind her.

Cameron sat on GG’s mattress. It was after midnight. The police came, she identified her grandmother for their report and then the funeral home attendants took her body away. The house was quiet and she stared out the window at the sprinkling of stars against the inky sky. House entered and leaned against the door frame.  
“Hey,” he said softly. “Come to bed. You need to sleep. I’ve got some good drugs.”  
Slowly she got up and walked toward him. She leaned against him and he put his arms around her.  
“I missed out on so much time with her,” she sighed.  
“Not really. You were there when it mattered. Besides, GG understood. She was a smart woman. Just like you.”  
“My mother’s gone and now so is GG.”  
“Well,” House said. “Bitty is no great loss but I sure as hell am going to miss GG.”  
“Take me to bed,” she told him pulling his head down for a searing kiss.  
He returned the kiss, slipping his tongue past her lips as his fingers loosened her hair, feeling the soft blonde strands. Then he pulled back. “It seems kind of morbid to be making out in your late grandmother’s room,” he said with a slight chuckle. “Let’s go to yours.”  
Cameron smirked at him but allowed him to pull her out of the room and down the hall.  
“Better?” she asked as she started removing her clothes.  
“Much,” he nodded as he reached for her to resume where they left off. She started to unbutton her dress when he shoved her hands away and finished unbuttoning it himself. “Allow me,” he murmured against her lips.  
He finished with her dress, tugged it off and tossed it aside, revealing a black bra and underwear set. “Mmm very nice. Too bad you won’t be wearing it long,” he whispered as he unhooked the clasp so the bra slid from her shoulders and onto the floor. He then slid his hands down her back and over her ass as he nibbled and kissed her neck. “Mmm such a nice ass,” he murmured.  
“Yours isn’t half bad either,” she giggled, doing the same to him, admiring his firm backside as she slid her hands over his jeans.  
He kissed her again and she busied herself with his belt buckle and then his zipper. Once she tugged his jeans down, she got on her knees, pulled his cock out and slid her tongue down its length.  
“Oh God,” he groaned as he leaned against the bedpost to steady himself. He watched as she took him all the way into her mouth and fought hard not to close his eyes. Watching her go down on him was the most erotic thing he’d ever seen. It felt so good he thought he might lose his mind. His hands buried in her hair as he gently thrust into her warm mouth. She took all of him and didn’t relent. When she started purring, that was his undoing and he lost it. Fireworks exploded behind his eyelids as he emptied himself down her throat until there was nothing left and he collapsed back onto the mattress. “Oh sweet jesus…”  
She giggled and pulled the covers back on the bed. “Come on, we need to sleep.”  
“Take a Xanax first,” he said as he handed her a pill and a glass of water. “Doctor’s orders.”  
She smiled and took the pill, knowing that he was right. As usual. “Yes, Doctor House.”  
“Good girl,” he said as he climbed into bed with her. She immediately curled up next to him and within minutes, they were both asleep.

It was still dark when House woke up, and noticed Cameron was also awake, staring up at the ceiling.  
“You okay?” he asked.  
“Yeah. I was just….thinking.”  
“You took a Xanax, you shouldn’t be able to think,” he teased.  
“It was a low dose,” she pointed out. “And I’ve been asleep for…,” she glanced at the clock, “four hours. It’s wearing off.”  
“There was nothing you could’ve done, Cameron,” House told her. “She was ninety. She died in her sleep. Peacefully. When my day comes, that’s my method of choice.”  
“I was thinking about you, too. If there’s some other kind of pain control regimen you could be on besides the Vicodin.”  
“If there is, I haven’t found the right doctor to prescribe it. Everyone at PPTH thinks I’m an addict. And they’d be right.”  
“You need a pain management doctor. Someone outside of PPTH who is unbiased.”  
“Well if you know anyone, I’ll see them. I know the Vicodin is killing my liver.”  
“Yeah, and I want you around for a long time.”  
“You just want me for the amazing orgasms I give you.”  
Cameron giggled and caressed his chest. “Well yeah, I could say the same about you. You seemed to enjoy what I did earlier…”  
He rolled over so he was lying on top of her. “Two can play at that game.”  
“I’m sure they can,” she laughed as he began peppering her face and neck with kisses. “Mmm...House….that’s nice….”  
He kissed his way down her body, pausing to kiss the tops of her breasts as he caressed them. His scruff tickled the sensitive skin as he continued to move downward. His hand slid under the covers to find her very wet core and she let out a soft moan. “Mmm….”  
“So wet...and I’m not even there yet…”  
“Then get there…” she whined as she squirmed under him, gripping the sheets as he nipped and kissed various spots, purposely taking his time getting to his destination with the intention of driving her crazy. He wanted her to beg for it, because that would make him completely come undone and she was the only woman able to do that. He always considered himself to be in control of his actions. But Cameron had changed all that. All he wanted to do was please her in any way possible.  
When he finally disappeared under the covers, his tongue replaced his fingers and Cameron’s back arched off the mattress as she gasped. “Oh! Yes! Right there!”  
He took his time feasting on her, holding her hips still as he controlled the pressure and rhythm of his tongue.  
“House...oh God..that’s so good….please...don’t stop….so close….”  
He decided she had enough torture for one night and quickened his movements, released his grip on her hips and let her thrust against his face until she came hard, her juices oozing out of her. He lapped them up until she was spent and kissed his way back up her body.  
“Make love to me, House...I need to….I want to feel you…”  
“What about…”  
“It’s fine. I promise. I’m on the pill and I know we’re both clean. Please…”  
Her eyes pleaded with him to trust her, and he had no reason not to. He settled down in between her legs and she sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I want to feel you...all of you...I need to feel you, House.”  
He didn’t need any more convincing than that and their eyes locked as he slid into her warmth. It was definitely one of the most intense moments he’d ever experienced in a long time. He felt her lips on his throat and he began to move as she wrapped one leg around his hip to draw him even closer and deeper with each thrust.  
“God...Cameron…” he murmured into her neck.  
“Call me Allison…”  
“That’ll take some getting used to,” he chuckled.  
“I think we’re close enough now to be on a first-name basis. Or at least I hope so.”  
“Shhh...no more talking. You’re killing the mood,” he said before he crashed his lips on hers and began to move again. His long, steady strokes drove her insane.  
The man had such control she was in awe of him. With Chase, it was over in a matter of minutes and it was a 50/50 chance if she even came close to getting off in that short time. In the few times she’d been with House...Greg, he’d gotten her off every time and made sure she did. She’d never been with a more considerate lover, and realized he had now ruined her for any other man.  
However, something deep down told her that there wouldn’t be any other men. House was the one. She knew that now. _He’s what I need. What I’ve always needed._  
Her body was tensing up and she felt like the dam was about to burst. House’s mouth and hands seemed to be everywhere at once, touching, kissing, caressing, feeling. She threw her head back, giving him access to her neck and let out a low feral growl as she came.  
House felt, for the first time, a rush of her warm juices as they coated his cock and her inner walls squeezed him.  
“Allison….” he grunted against her lips as he followed her over the edge and into the abyss. He once again saw fireworks behind his eyelids as he held her against him.  
“Greg...that was….” She couldn’t form words to describe what she felt so she didn’t say anything more. She just held on, her arms and legs still wrapped around him until he went soft enough to slip out of her, and they both sighed at the loss of contact. Eventually he rolled off her, but she still cuddled up to him, already falling into a deep sleep, and he soon followed.


	4. Chapter 4

Greyson Rockland sat in a chair outside Cuddy’s office. He looked with disdain at the patients waiting in the clinic. He hated the unwashed masses and this was a prime example of them. Glancing at his watch, he blew out his breath in annoyance. The bossy nurse refused to let him see Cuddy so he had to wait until she left her office. He’d been waiting for nearly two hours when she finally emerged. She strutted past him wearing a tight black skirt, blue sweater and black fuckme pumps. Her long black hair flowed over her shoulders and Greyson bit back a gasp when he saw her face. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Her eyes were big and a clear grey-blue. Her lips were full and pink. She had the good bone structure that spoke of good breeding. When she turned, Greyson smiled. She had the best tits he’d ever seen. How could House choose Allison when he could have this gorgeous creature? In comparison, Allison seemed like an underdeveloped child. Lisa Cuddy was a woman; a hot, well built, sexy woman. He arranged his suit coat to hide his budding erection and stood up.  
“Doctor Cuddy?” he asked as he approached her. When he stood beside her, he inhaled her heady scent.  
“Yes,” she replied without looking up from the papers she was looking over.  
“I’m Greyson Rockland. I know Allison Langston and Greg House.”  
She put the pen down and turned to look at him. He allowed his gaze to move down her body. She had a tiny waist and round hips. Her legs were toned and for a moment he imagined them wrapped around his waist as he pounded into her.  
“What about them?” she asked looking at him suspiciously.  
“Let’s go into your office and speak privately,” he replied silkily. “I have a lot to share with you.”  
She narrowed her eyes but walked back to her office. He followed. Her skirt was so tight he could see she wasn’t wearing any underwear.   
“Damn,” he breathed as he entered her office. This was one hot piece of ass and he intended to have her.  
She sat behind her desk and indicated one of the chairs in front of it. He sat down and crossed his legs.  
“Did you know that Allison paid House to be her date at her grandmother’s party?” he asked with a sly smile.  
“Oh, yes!” she said with a triumphant smile. “I knew that relationship wasn’t real.”  
“Oh, it’s real now,” he told her. “But, I need your help. You see, I’m in need of some funds. Allison’s grandmother died yesterday and the memorial service is next Tuesday. How would you like to help me destroy the relationship between House and Allison? She will inherit another hundred million from her grandmother and if I marry her, I can put that money to good use. As an added bonus, you can have House all to yourself.”  
She stared at him. “What makes you think I want him?”  
“Oh, I’ve done my research,” he said as he adjusted one of his cufflinks. “You had a one night stand in college and you’ve been in love with him ever since.”  
Cuddy sat back and swung her legs up on her desk. Greyson smiled as her skirt slid back revealing her thighs. Oh, yes, he was going to fuck her hard.  
“You’re sure this will work?” she asked with a glint of malice in her eyes.  
“Of course. Allison wants me, she just doesn’t realize it yet. And how could any man not want you? You’re breathtaking.”  
She smiled. “When do we leave?”  
***  
As House and Cameron relaxed on loungers by the pool, it was a hot summer day with a gentle breeze. Hilary and Wilson were in the water on air mattresses as they talked quietly and laughed among themselves. House couldn’t make out what they were saying but he was happy that Wilson seemed to be relaxed and enjoying himself.  
“I’ve been thinking,” Cameron said as she sipped her drink. “We should go check out the cabin. If it’s in good shape still, and big enough, we could live there. It wouldn’t be far from the hospital.”  
“Hmm we might just have to. I wouldn’t mind checking it out either, as well as the hospital.”  
“I’m sure Daddy could arrange a tour for us. He knows the builder, after all. Went to college with him back in the day.”  
“Interesting. Maybe Wilson could join us. It might make him decide to transfer as well. Think your dad would like us staffing the new hospital?” he chuckled.  
Cameron laughed. “If he didn’t like the idea, he would’ve put his foot down from the start and said no. But he likes you so I’d say he’ll probably give us carte blanche to do what we want. Within reason of course,” she quickly added when she saw the mischievous grin on House’s face.  
“Buzz kill,” House grumbled into his drink as he finished off his third margarita. “Another round, Jeeves!”  
“You better slow down,” Cameron giggled. “Tequila on a hot day doesn’t mix well.”  
“My dear child, have you ever seen me hung over?”  
“Yes, I have. That time you had shots and got drunk with that convict that drank the copier toner.”  
He grumbled again and took the margarita that Bennings handed him from a tray, as well as another bowl of nuts. “You’re a good man, Jeeves.”  
Bennings smiled at House. “Thank you, sir.”  
“Can we clone him for the cabin?” he asked Cameron, who laughed again.   
“No. Besides, you might not even like it, and if you did, it’s a fraction of the size of this place.”  
“Yeah, well nothing is as big as this place.”  
Cameron turned serious and cocked her head to one side as she looked at him. “Are you sure about this, House?”  
“About drinking this margarita? Absolutely!” he said as he took a long, leisurely sip.  
“No I mean about relocating. I know change is hard for you. Especially quick change. It won’t be easy for either of us. And then there’s the issue about where we’re going to live…”  
“GG’s cabin.”  
“What if it’s not what you want?”  
“Do you like it?”  
“Yes.”  
“Then that’s good enough for me. I’m sure I’ll like it too.”  
“Do you seriously want to move in together?”  
He arched his eyebrow. “Did you have another idea?”  
“Well, no, but…”  
“Stacy moved in a week after we met and we were together for five years. You and I have known each other how long? And we haven’t tried to kill each other yet. I’d say our chances are good.”  
Cameron merely nodded and looked away, clearly not convinced.  
House frowned. “Fine, we’ll get separate places if that’s what you want. I’ve lived alone this long, after all, so what’s another several years...”  
“That’s not what I meant…”  
He stood up and put his drink down. “You’re scared of the commitment. It’s fine. I get it. Whatever you wanna do, I don’t care.”  
Cameron watched him limp back to the house and gave her head a shake as if to clear it. _What the hell just happened?_  
“Where’s House going?” Wilson called out.  
“I don’t know,” Cameron sighed as she flopped back onto her lounger and finished her drink. She’d let him stew for awhile then she’d go find him. They’d talk it out and then, hopefully, kiss and make-up.  
 _That would certainly take a lot of kissing_ , Cameron thought to herself and smiled. Once she finished her drink she set off to do just that. She searched all his favorite places first and when he wasn’t in any of them, returned to their bedroom and found him stretched out on their bed, resting.  
“I told you, tequila and sun don’t mix,” she said as she approached.  
“It’s not my fault Jeeves makes a killer margarita,” he replied, not looking at her.  
“Nor is it his fault that you drank three of them.”  
House sighed and turned his head to look at her. “C’mere.”  
She climbed onto the bed and curled up next to him as he wrapped his arm around her. “It’s okay to be scared, you know,” he said, his voice soft. “God knows I am.”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah. Everything happened so fast. And like you said, change is hard for me, especially quick change, and that’s what this is. Last weekend we were here, pretending to be a couple, and now we are one and we’re talking about living and working together in another state. I can see why you’d feel overwhelmed. I am, too, but that’s a given. I just didn’t expect it of you.”  
“I don’t know why I panicked.”  
He rolled onto his side and faced her. “We can do this.”  
She nodded and lightly caressed his cheek, letting the scruff tickle her fingertips. “We’re going to do this. And it’s going to be amazing.”


	5. Chapter 5

House felt the bed move and reached for Cameron. “Where ya goin’?”  
“To shower. It’ll be dinner time soon.”  
House opened his eyes. “We’ve been napping all afternoon?”  
“Yep. So if you want to join me, you best get a move on.”  
House followed her into the bathroom and leaned against the counter as she adjusted the water in the massive shower. She stripped her bikini off and looked at him over her shoulder.  
“Coming?” she asked with a seductive grin. “I need someone to scrub my back.”  
He nearly tore his swimming trunks in his hurry to remove them. Then he stepped into the shower and looked at Cameron. She stood in front of the shower heads and water sluiced over her. Her body gleamed in the light and he reached out to trail his fingers along her shoulder. Closing her eyes, she tipped her head back and let the water flow over her. He followed the tiny rivers over her breasts and down her stomach. Slipping his hand between her legs, he stroked her. She spread her legs slightly and tilted her hips toward him. He tickled her nub which swelled beneath his fingers. A flush spread over her body and she moaned as she reached out to grasp his waist. She jerked and cried out his name. He wrapped an arm around her as her orgasm shuddered through her. He turned her and sat down on the bench that stretched along the side wall of the shower. She leaned over him and kissed him deeply as she wrapped her fingers around him. He groaned into her mouth as her wet hand slid up and down his hard length. Carefully, she straddled his hips and guided him into her warm, wet depths. He ran his hands up her back and kissed her as she slid down taking him in completely. She began to rotate her hips in small circles. He was still imbedded in her but her inner muscles rubbed against him. The feeling was unlike anything he ever experienced. He massaged her breasts as he kissed her. He felt desire flow through his veins and settle in the pit of his stomach. She continued her slow rotation and he felt his muscles begin to contract. His skin buzzed and his eyes closed. Then everything exploded and he wrapped his arms around her as he came hard and fast. She held him as he moaned and jerked. Then, slowly, he relaxed. Cameron slid off him and stood up. She helped him stand and reached for a tube of body wash. She squirted some out in her hand and then rubbed the clean smelling soap all over him. He stepped under the water and rinsed off. Then he took the tube and squirted body wash on her breasts letting it dribble down her stomach. He leisurely rubbed it into her skin enjoying the slippery feel of her beneath his fingers. Once she was covered in lather, he maneuvered her beneath the spray of hot water and kissed her. Her fingers trailed over his back and then she pulled back slightly.  
“We should get out and get dressed,” she sighed.  
“I’m not all that hungry for food,” he said as he nibbled the soft skin of her neck.  
Cameron tilted her head and he sucked the sensitive area just beneath her ear. “Dad wants to talk about the hospital and GG’s memorial service,” she told him breathlessly.  
“Fine,” he muttered against her neck.  
Cameron turned the water off and they stepped out. House handed her a towel and took one for himself. Once they dried off, Cameron began to rub moisturizer over her body. House flicked a comb through his hair, slicked on some deodorant and then watched her. She applied deodorant, combed out her long hair and twisted it into a neat bun on the back of her head. Then she quickly and efficiently put on a light amount of makeup. She walked out of the bathroom and House followed her. She entered the closet and opened several drawers. Handing him a pair of his boxers, she then pulled out socks and a shirt. As he dressed, he watched her slip into a pale pink silk bra and matching thong. She pulled a pale green dress off a hanger and stepped into it. She pulled it on and turned her back to him.  
“Zip me, please?” she asked.  
He limped over to her and ran one finger down her spine then slid the zipper up. She turned and smiled at him. She chose a pair of strappy silver heels and sat on the ottoman to put them on. House finished dressing as she put on a pair of large silver hoop earrings.  
“Nice,” he told her with a smile.  
She ran her hand along the lapel of his dark grey suit jacket. “Sexy,” she whispered with a slight smile.  
He growled and pulled her into his arms. With one last searing kiss, he stepped back and held out his hand. She picked up his cane, handed it to him then took his hand.

When they arrived downstairs, Bennings informed them the others were waiting on the back terrace. House and Cameron arrived and saw a round table set for dinner. Mundell stood talking to Wilson. Hilary stood on the edge of the terrace staring out at the pool. When Mundell saw them, he smiled and waved them over.  
“I was just telling Wilson I’d like the four of you to form a hiring committee for the hospital,” he told them. “Hilary has a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in business administration so she’ll also serve on the board of directors with me.”  
House inclined his head toward Hilary. “She okay?” he asked softly.  
Mundell looked down. “She will be.” He drew in a deep breath and released it. “Let’s eat. I thought it would be nice to eat out here. Mother loved dining out here when the weather was nice.”  
They followed him to the table. House sat next to Cameron while Hilary sat close to Wilson. Mundell sat and nodded. The tantalizing scent of fried chicken wafted on the summer air.  
“In honor of Mother, we’re having her favorite meal,” Mundell told them. “Fried chicken, cornbread, collard greens, mashed potatoes and sweet tea. She made the best fried chicken.”  
As one of the maids placed the plates in front of them, Hilary began to cry softly. “I’ll never get to eat out here with her again.”  
Wilson put his arm around her and she leaned into his embrace.  
“Come on, Bunny,” Cameron said in shaky voice. “GG wouldn’t want us to be sad.”  
House looked over at her and wiped a tear off her cheek. “No, she wouldn’t,” he agreed.   
Lifting his glass, he looked around the table. “To Grace Houghton Langston. She was one hell of a woman.”  
“To GG,” everyone said as they clinked glasses. They all took a sip and House nearly drained his glass.  
“Damn that’s good!”  
“It’s Mother’s recipe,” Mundell told him.  
“Well, isn’t this a cozy scene,” Cuddy said as she walked up the steps with Greyson at her side.  
“Very,” Greyson agreed. “Is there room for two more?”  
Bennings appeared at the French doors. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t see them until it was too late.”  
“How did you two get in here?” Mundell demanded.  
Greyson shrugged. “You really need to change the gate code. Now, how about making room for us. I don’t know about Lisa, but I’m starved.”  
Cuddy smiled at House who stared back at her. “Surprise,” she laughed.


	6. Chapter 6

House looked back at Bennings. “Call security and the police, Jeeves,” he instructed. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Cuddy.  
“Don’t even think about it, Bennings,” Greyson growled all semblance of good humor gone.  
Bennings looked down his nose at them and turned on his heel.  
“Wait!” Cuddy called out. “Don’t call the police! We’ll leave. Right, Grey?”  
House turned to Cameron with wide eyes. _Grey?_ he mouthed and grimaced. Cameron clamped her mouth shut and looked away.  
Wilson turned in his chair and looked at Cuddy. “What are you doing here? And who is this guy?”  
Cuddy lifted one shoulder. “Oh, this is Greyson Rockland. He and Cameron used to date.”  
“Pfft!” Cameron snorted. “Yeah,when we were kids!”  
Cuddy glared back at Cameron and continued. “He told me all about Cameron and I wanted to see for myself. Now I understand why House is with her,” she told him.  
House kept his eyes on Cameron. Her face was set in anger and her eyes blazed. Slowly she turned her head to look at Cuddy. House was very glad not to be on the receiving end of that look. He fully expected Cuddy to burst into flames.  
“And why is he with me, Cuddy?” she asked in a low voice.  
Cuddy laughed. “Money. Why else?”  
Mundell stood and threw his napkin on the table. “Leave at once.”  
Greyson held his hands up. “Okay, okay. No need to get huffy. We’re leaving.”  
Cuddy smiled smugly at House, turned and walked down the stairs with Greyson behind her. Once they rounded the corner of the house, she turned on him. “You said they love you!” she spat. “That they’d welcome you with open arms. Instead, they threatened to call the police. I can’t be arrested. I’ll lose my job. I can’t believe I trusted you.”  
Greyson grabbed her arm. “Oh no you don’t,” he told her. “You’re going to seduce House and I’m going to get Allison back.” He dropped her arm and started to walk away. “Unless you don’t really want him.”  
Cuddy stared at him and then followed. “Of course I want him. I love him. He doesn’t love Allison,” she sneered. “You saw him. All he wants is the money and cushy lifestyle. He doesn’t love her. We’ll both get what we want but I’m in charge now.”  
Greyson smiled and they continued across the lawn to his car. Until that day, Cuddy had never ridden in a Ferrari before. That, mixed with seeing House cleaned up and wearing a suit sent her libido into overdrive and she was already wet.   
As Greyson drove, the deep, sexy hum of the engine had her uncrossing and crossing her legs repeatedly to alleviate the constant ache between them as she thought about House fucking her on the hood of the car. As if Greyson could sense it, he placed his hand on her bare leg. “Are you one of those women who gets turned on by a hot car?” he asked with a smile.  
“I guess so. I’ve never been a car like this before. It’s pretty sexy.”  
“As Dean of Medicine, you could afford your own hot car.”  
“I could, but it’s not very practical in Jersey.”  
“Practicality has nothing to do with it. If you want one, you should get one and fuck practical.”  
Cuddy glanced over at him. He really was an attractive man, even though he was probably at least ten years younger than she. It made her feel like a cougar. And yet, she hadn’t been with anyone in a long time. He was definitely easy to look at, reminding her a lot of Robin Thicke with his style of clothes and hair, and she found him attractive.  
“How much would something like this go for?”  
“Brand new? At least two hundred grand. Used, between a hundred, hundred and fifty, depending on the mileage and condition it’s in.”  
That was way out of her reach and she whistled. He glanced over at her when they stopped at a set of lights. “A hottie like you should have a hot car. Guys go for that shit, ya know?”  
“Is that why you drive one?”  
“That, and my father owns a chain of Ferrari dealerships across the country. Maybe I can get you a good deal on one, if you’re really interested.”  
“I might be.”  
Greyson took the next exit and drove them down a private road until they came to an open field.   
“Where are we?” she asked.  
“I thought we might explore the countryside,” he said as he put the car in park and turned off the engine, but left the stereo on. He gently touched her face and smiled at her. “You’re really beautiful, Lisa. I can’t imagine why House, or any guy, wouldn’t want you.”  
“House is...complicated,” she said with a defeated sigh. “He’s had a soft spot for Cameron since she came to work for him. I just never thought they’d actually get together.”  
“That’s why we need to break them up.”  
“Yeah,” Cuddy snorted. “And we saw how that went. He’s in love with her. I’ve seen that look on his face before.”  
“We can put that look on his face when he sees you.”  
“I don’t know how…”  
“We can talk about that later. Right now I’d like to talk about how you’re going to ride my stick,” Greyson said as he leaned over and started kissing her neck. Cuddy shoved him off of her and glared at him.   
“Whoa! Hold on. When did I ever give you the impression that I wanted you?”  
“When was the last time you got laid, Lisa?” he asked her. When she couldn’t come up with an answer, he smiled. “I rest my case. Come on, what’s wrong with having a little fun? You’re a beautiful woman, I can tell you’re attracted to me.” His hand was still on her leg, inching upwards under her pencil skirt. “I’d suggest hopping into the back seat but there isn’t one. I’ll bet House couldn’t fuck you in a car like this,” he added.  
“Not a chance,” she smirked. He certainly made a good argument. What was the harm in having a little fun? She could just close her eyes and pretend it was House, if needed. Greyson took her hand and placed it over the bulge in his pants. He wasn’t nearly as big as House, so it would take some serious imagination on her part.  
“Come over here,” he said and patted his lap. With his help Cuddy straddled him as he unzipped his pants and pulled out his unimpressive cock. It was fully erect and to stop herself from laughing, she kissed him instead as she wrapped her hand around him and stroked him a few times to see if he’d get any bigger.   
“Oh yeah...that’s good...so good…” he groaned as he thrust against her hand. He reached into the middle console and pulled out a condom. Tearing the foil packet open, he rolled the condom on himself. _What a slut!_ he thought as he pulled her down onto his length and immediately started bucking his hips up into her. “Yesssss….oh yeah, baby….” he groaned as she started bouncing on him.  
Cuddy closed her eyes and thought of House in his suit, neatly shaved beard and imagined it was his lap she was straddling. The smell of the Ferrari’s leather, Greyson’s slight stubble and the force at which he was thrusting into her made her think back to her one-night stand with House in college and she came pretty quickly with a feral groan thrown in for good measure. It wasn’t the best sex she’d had, but it was certainly better than nothing.   
When they were finished, Greyson adjusted himself, and smiled at her. “You are one hot piece of ass, sweet cheeks. Why don’t we go back to my apartment and plan our next method of attack?”  
Cuddy tried not to show her disinterest. “Got something in mind, do you?”  
“Absolutely.”  
***  
“I think it’s best if we get out of here for a few days,” Mundell suggested as they sat around the dinner table, eating dessert. “You’re welcome to join us, James. There’s plenty of room for you to stay at the cabin. Hilary and I have our own apartments. And then we can take a tour of the hospital.”  
Wilson nodded, not wanting to go back to Princeton anytime soon. There didn’t seem to be much of a rush since Cuddy wasn’t there. And it might give him a chance to get to know Hilary a little better.  
“Sounds great,” he said with a nod, and Hilary smiled at him.  
“GG’s service isn’t until Tuesday. We can take a few days and be back in time for that. Everything’s being taken care of on that end. We can take the jet and be back on Monday night. That will give us time to see the hospital and avoid Greyson and your former boss,” Mundell told them.   
Cameron toyed with the napkin in her lap. “I suppose Greyson and his parents will be coming to GG’s service.”  
House put his hand over hers. She looked up at him.  
“I would say not if you don’t want them to come,” House said.  
“I like his parents,” Cameron said.  
“As do I,” Mundell agreed. “They missed Mother’s party and were horrified by Greyson’s stunt.” He looked at House and Wilson. “I’ve been friends with them for years. They never much cared for Millicent and now I understand why.”  
Wilson leaned close to House. “You really need to fill me in on all this. So far, it sounds like these families could be on your soap opera,” he whispered.  
“Oh, it’s better than any soap. It’s more like a reality show gone wrong,” House whispered back. “I’ll tell you all about it later. I can’t wait to meet Greydong’s parents. I bet they’re both a real piece of work.”  
“Actually,” Mundell said with a slight smile. “Greydong’s parents are very proper and nothing like him. Or Bitty for that matter.” He laughed softly. “I must say, House, you have come up with some very amusing variations on Greyson’s name.”  
Wilson smiled. “House brings mocking and sarcasm to a whole new level.”  
House arched an eyebrow and then smiled.  
“I feel the need to stretch my legs a bit after that wonderful meal,” Mundell said as he stood up. “Feel free to entertain yourselves.”  
Once he was out of sight, Hilary leaned across the table and looked at House and Cameron. “Okay, what are we going to do about Greyson and that slutty boss of yours?” she asked.  
“Well, slutty would recognize slutty,” House teased.  
“House!” Cameron and Wilson said in unison.  
“No, he’s right,” Hilary told them. “Slutty does recognize slutty. Knowing Greyson, he’s already fucked her at least twice since they left. She is ultra-slutty and she wants House. Women like her do not go down without one hell of a fight. Greyson will bring her to GG’s memorial service.”  
“He wouldn’t dare,” Cameron responded.  
“Oh, Allison,” Hilary sighed. “You aren’t slutty at all. You have no idea what she’ll do. She will be at the memorial service and she will make your life hell. Luckily, you have House.”  
“She does,” House said. “Cuddy can try to seduce me away but it won’t work. Allison has nothing to worry about.”  
“Allison is sitting right here,” Cameron said with an edge to her voice. “I am perfectly capable of handling Cuddy and Greyson.”  
“That’s true,” Wilson said with a nod. “She handles House and that is no easy feat. I know. I’ve tried.”  
“Yes, but you won’t sleep with me, you selfish bitch,” House teased with a cock of his head.  
“Well, you are hard to resist at times, I’ll give you that,” Wilson shot back with a grin.  
Hilary looked from one to the other. Cameron laughed at the look on her face.  
“Are they always like this?” Hilary asked her with wide eyes.  
“Oh, this is mild, believe me,” Cameron told her with a laugh. “You’ll get used to them.”  
House tossed his napkin on the table. He stretched his arms over his head and then pulled Cameron close. “I need to have a gossip sesh with my bestie,” he told her. “I trust you can manage without me for a couple of hours?”  
She sighed. “It will be hard but I’ll make it through somehow,”  
House kissed her temple. “That’s my girl,” he whispered against her hair. He looked at Wilson. “Let’s go drink some expensive liquor and smoke some imported cigars.”  
Wilson nodded. He stood and Hilary touched his hand. He looked down at her.  
“Come find me when you’re done,” she said.  
“Okay,” Wilson responded with a smile.

House led Wilson down to the wine cellar. He chose a bottle of whiskey and showed Wilson the back room. Wilson sat down while House got glasses, the box of cigars and a lighter. He put them on the table with the whiskey.  
“Cuddy isn’t going to give up,” WIlson told him as he chose a cigar.  
“When has she ever?” House asked as he sat back and snipped the end off his cigar. Wilson held out the lighter.  
“Never. But there’s something different about her. She’s over-the-top jealous of Cameron. Want to share anything with me?” Wilson asked as he picked up his glass of whiskey.  
“I slipped her the long hard one in college and she’s wants more,” House smirked.  
“You slept with her??” WIlson asked in shock.  
“One time at a party. She was a one night stand. Obviously it meant more to her than it did to me.”  
“Obviously. But one night with you shouldn’t make that much of a difference.”  
“Rude,” House said.   
“All I mean is there has to be more to it. It would explain why she goes out of her way to fight with you,” Wilson mused.  
“What? That I slept with her?”  
“No. That she needs the drama.”  
House took a long draw on his cigar and narrowed his eyes. “She does seem to enjoy antagonizing me.”  
“She doesn’t do it with anyone else,” Wilson told him. “You feed some sick need she has for intense drama. You and Stacy bantered back and forth but not like you and Cuddy. You’re also very loving and gentle with Cameron.”  
House shrugged. “Things with Stacy were fun and good until the infarction. Things with Cameron are amazing. It’s easy to be myself with her.”  
“That’s why Cuddy is acting so batshit crazy. Tell me about Cameron’s mom and Greyson.”   
House laughed and spent the next hour telling him all about them. When he was done, he sighed. “So now you have to tell me about Hilary. Are you gonna hit that?”  
Wilson merely grinned. “What makes you think I haven’t already?”  
“Because I know you. It’s all about the thrill of the chase. You’ll bide your time until neither of you can stand it anymore and you’re tearing each other’s clothes off.”  
Wilson looked at House, slackjawed. “How in the hell…”  
“Because I know you. I’ve been watching you operate for years. Hilary won’t wait for you forever, though. I don’t know her that well yet but she knows what she wants, and she goes after it. If that’s too fast for you, you best let her down easy.”  
“I like her, she’s a nice person. A little troubled but then who isn’t?”  
“There’s nothing wrong with a one night stand, but keep in mind you’ll probably see a lot of her if you do decide to relocate.”  
“And maybe that’s how it should be. Maybe I’m tired of banging nurses.”  
“And accountants, and assistants, and-”  
“Shut up, House.”  
House took a sip of his whiskey. “Did you really warn Cameron not to break my heart?”  
Wilson nodded. “I did. You love her. You loved Stacy. She hurt you. I didn’t want Cameron to do the same.”  
House looked into his glass. “She’s different.”  
A knock sounded on the door. Wilson got up and opened it. Bennings stood with his hands folded behind his back.  
“I am most sorry to interrupt, Doctors, but your presence is required upstairs,” he said stiffly.


	7. Chapter 7

Bennings led them upstairs to the library. He opened the doors and stepped back. Millicent stood in the middle of the room. She wore the same outfit from the night Mundell threw her out. Her hair hung limp and her makeup was smudged.  
“The mom?” WIlson whispered.  
House nodded.  
“I have every right to come back here!” Millicent shouted. “This is my home! I want my things and money!”  
Bennings glided past them with a laptop. He placed it on the coffee table and opened it.  
“If I may, sir?” he asked Mundell.  
Mundell frowned but nodded. “You aren’t getting anything, Milly. I paid for everything you have.”  
“I’m ready, sir,” Bennings told him. He tapped a button on the computer. They all gathered around and watched as Millicent and Greyson had sex doggy style on her bed.  
Cameron and Hilary made sounds of disgust. Hilary turned her back but Cameron confronted her mother.  
“You seriously fucked that disgusting jerk?” she shouted. “And then had the nerve to preach to _us_ about abstinence??”  
“That is an invasion of my privacy!” Millicent said shakily. “You had no right to film me!”  
Mundell looked at her with loathing and disgust. “You know all the rooms have security cameras. Bennings simply didn’t erase the footage from your camera. Now get out of my house!”  
“I need money!! I don’t have anywhere to go!” she cried.  
“Go stay with Greyson,” Mundell told her. He straightened his spine and walked out of the room.  
Bennings looked at her as if she were a particularly nasty piece of garbage. “I will call the police,” he informed her coldly.  
“Bunny, Allison,” she sniffled. “Please. I’m your mother. You don’t want me to end up on the streets, do you?”  
Hilary turned on her. “Why not? You can earn some money there. I’m sure the other whores will take you in. And I’m sure Greyson can testify to your...talents.”  
Cameron walked past House and Wilson. As House turned to follow her, he looked at Wilson.  
“Help Bennings get her out of here,” he told his best friend.  
Wilson nodded and House went after Cameron.  
He found her on the terrace outside her bedroom, staring out at the sunset. “You okay?” he asked as he stood close but gave her distance if she needed it.  
“No.”  
“Want me to go?”  
She turned around and he could see she was crying. A few long strides across the terrace and she was in his arms, her cheek resting against his chest as she sobbed quietly. “This never would’ve happened if GG were here. She would’ve changed the gate codes the day Mother left.”  
“Wilson is taking care of it. If she’s smart, she won’t come back. Makes me wonder though, are there really cameras in every room?”  
“Yeah but security erases them each morning. Unless something happens then they save the footage.”  
“Pity,” he said. “I’d check out the videos from last weekend.”  
Cameron laughed in between sniffles. “You would.”  
“Why not? We’re smokin’ hot together,” he chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close as they stood and watched the sun go down.  
Meanwhile, Wilson found Hilary downstairs in the billiards room shooting pool while drinking a flute of champagne.  
“Do you play?” she asked as she took a sip.  
“It’s been awhile but yeah. Got anymore of that?” he asked.  
“In the bucket, over there,” she said and pointed as she gathered up the balls she previously sank and started a new game.  
Wilson poured himself some champagne then chose a pool cue.  
“Bennings is changing the gate code,” he commented as he watched her break. “He said he saw Greyson going into your mother’s room. That’s why he saved the recording.”  
Hilary took another sip and motioned toward the table. Wilson lined up a shot and sent four balls into each pocket. Hilary laughed.  
“You’re a hustler, aren’t you, James Wilson?” she laughed. She lifted her glass. “Here’s to the whore and the hustler. At least I know why I act the way I do. I come by it naturally.”   
“Don’t,” he said sharply as he took the glass from her. “I may not know you very well, but you are not a whore.”  
She began to laugh hysterically. “You don’t know me at all! House is right. I’m slutty and I inherited my sluttiness from my slutty mother!”  
Wilson dropped his pool cue and set his glass down. He grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a shake. She stopped laughing and looked up at him with wide eyes. Her eyes filled with tears and she swallowed back a sob.  
“Don’t be nice to me,” she said brokenly.  
“Someone should,” he responded gently. He guided her to a couch and pushed her down then sat down next to her. Putting his arm around her, he pulled her close. She leaned against him and put her head on his shoulder.   
“Don't think you’re getting sex,” she told him. “Because I’m not doing that anymore.”  
“Ever?” he asked.  
“I’m going to be like Allison. I’m going to wait until I’m in love.”  
“That sounds like a good idea.”  
“I’m throwing out all my clothes and buying everything new. No more whore clothes. I’m going to dress like GG and Allison. Classy and elegant.”  
“You’ll look beautiful.”  
“Are you and House...did you and House...I’m not judging,” she stammered.  
“House is my best friend. That’s all,” he told her with a smile. “He enjoys saying outrageous things. He’s serious about two things: your sister and medicine.”  
Hilary sighed. Wilson leaned back and continued to hold her.   
***  
The fireplace in Cameron’s bedroom crackled as she and House stood next to the bed, kissing each other with a passion that surprised even them. She needed something, House didn’t know what it was, but he was damn well going to make sure he gave it to her. “Mmm, House,” she murmured against his lips. “I love kissing you. Sometimes I think I could get off just from this.”  
He smirked. “Really? Without my skillful hands helping you along?”  
“Well, that’s definitely a bonus,” she giggled.  
To prove his point, his hand slid down and cupped her, making her moan against his lips as he stroked her through the fabric of her lace underwear. He had already gotten her out of her clothes, but left the matching pink silk bra and thong on because they were sexy and she looked hot in them.  
“You’re so beautiful, like this,” he said as he ran his other hand down the length of her body. “What are you doing with an old, run down misanthropic son of a bitch like me?” he said, almost to himself.  
Cameron frowned and placed her hands on his face, forcing him to look into her eyes. “Hey. Look at me. Because I’m in love with you, because you make me happy, because you’re sexy and because you have a really big dick.”  
The last comment threw him for a loop and she smiled at him when realization dawned on him. She wasn’t just saying it to make him feel better. She really meant those things, and undoubtedly, the last bit. “And I know how to use it,” he chuckled as he lifted her off her feet and playfully dropped her on the bed before moving on top of her.  
“Mmmm you definitely do,” she sighed as he placed kisses everywhere and caressed her breasts.   
“You need more of these bras,” he murmured against her skin.  
“I have plenty. You just haven’t seen them all.”  
“You’ll have to give me a fashion show one day. A private one...followed by a lapdance.”  
“I think that could be arranged,” she said and gasped as his lips moved down her body and stopped at the waistband of her underwear.  
“Want these off?”  
Cameron nodded as she buried her fingers in his hair and smiled down at him. “Did I also mention that I love your very talented tongue?” she added.  
“No you didn’t. Do you need a demonstration to refresh your memory?”  
“Yesssss…” she hissed as he pulled the silk underwear down her legs and settled in between them, kissing and nipping his way up her inner thigh. His whiskers scraped her skin but she didn’t care. She began gently arching her hips against his face, urging him toward his destination. “Please House…”  
He smiled up at her before turning his attention back to his goal. He was going to make her forget everything, even if for just a little while. He could give her that much. And he did. It wasn’t long before Cameron was writhing under his ministrations and begging him for release. When he’d had his fill of her, he struggled out of his trousers and shorts and very gently slid into her warm, wet core.  
“Oh God….” she groaned as she wrapped her arms around him and held him close to her. He didn’t move at first, enjoying their closeness for a few minutes. Then she surprised him by rolling them over and straddling him.   
“Mmm..bossy,” he chuckled as she positioned herself over him and then slowly slid down his length until he was fully inside. “Ohh….” he groaned as she did it again and again, slowly each time. He gripped her hips, sure that he would probably leave bruises but he didn’t care, and he didn’t think she would, either. She wanted to be in control and he had no problem with that. Whatever it took to get her mind off the evening’s earlier events.  
“God….Cameron,” he groaned as he started bucking his hips up into her. She groaned and threw her head back as she continued to ride him faster and deeper. “So close…”  
“Me too….so good….oh god, Greg!” she cried out as the orgasm took her by surprise and she arched her back, letting it pulse through her.   
House felt her inner walls clenching, her warm fluids coating his cock as he continued to thrust up into her, allowing her to ride out her orgasm and bring him to his own amazing climax. He collapsed back against the pillows as Cameron fell onto his chest. He felt her heart beating fast and he was sure she could probably hear his as well. For some reason that made him feel even closer to her than ever before. He could smell her hair as it brushed across his face and he inhaled the fresh scent of spring rain.  
Eventually she rolled off of him but still wrapped her arm across his chest as she rested her cheek on his shoulder. “Thank you,” she whispered in the dark.  
“You’re welcome. What for?”  
He heard and felt her chuckle as her fingers played with the hair on his chest. “For the distraction. I really needed it.”  
“I know.”  
“You always know what I need before I do. How do you do it?”  
House shifted and then pulled the covers over them so she wouldn’t get cold. “I’m just that good.”


	8. Chapter 8

The five of them arrived at the airport and boarded the Langston private jet. “How long a flight is it?” House asked Mundell once they were seated and buckled.   
“About four hours. Relax,” he said with a smile, “and enjoy the flight.”  
“Spoken like a pilot.”  
“Once upon a time.”  
“Military?”  
“Navy, before I met Millicent.”  
“My dad is a Colonel in the Marine corps.”  
“Nice. And you didn’t want to follow in his footsteps?”  
“Nope. Can you honestly see me following orders?”  
Mundell chuckled. “Point taken.”  
Bennings came around with a drink tray. “Something to drink before take-off?”  
House grinned as he selected a tumbler of scotch. “You read my mind, Jeeves.”  
The flight was fairly uneventful and Bennings drove them to the cabin which wasn’t far from the regional airport in Asheville. When they drove up the road that led to the cabin, and it appeared, House chuckled. “This is GG’s quaint little cabin in the woods?”  
“Well, I don’t know about little but it is made of logs.”  
“That must’ve taken a lot of logs,” Wilson chuckled.  
“Dad? I think I’ll stay at the cabin with James, House and Allison, if that’s okay with you, James?” Hilary said with a sweet smile at Wilson. They did a lot of talking the night before, as well as exchanging a few playful kisses but it didn’t go beyond that. However, she hoped something might develop between them.  
Wilson shrugged. “I have no problem with it.”  
“Romance is blossoming everywhere it seems,” House muttered, and earned a playful slap from Cameron.   
“Shhh.”  
“Owww hey!”  
“Behave you two or I’m turning this car around,” Bennings teased as he looked at them in the rear-view mirror.  
“You have kids, Jeeves?” House inquired.   
“No, Doctor, I don’t, but I was one once.”  
The car stopped in front of the cabin, which looked more like a chalet than the log cabin that Cameron’s family described, and they all got out.  
“Any cars in that garage?” House asked.   
“Just a boring sedan,” Mundell said. “But feel free to use it. It was GG’s.”  
“Then if it’s GG’s, it won’t be boring.”   
Mundell unlocked the front door to the cabin and turned on the lights. There was a lot of dust and cobwebs and the place looked like nobody had been there in months.”When was she here last?” Cameron asked.  
“She came to stay with us six months ago when she didn’t want to make the long trip all the time.”  
House and Cameron exchanged glances and Mundell caught it. “What?”  
“Nothing.”  
Mundell stared at them and then looked around. “Well, how about a tour of the hospital tomorrow?”  
“Sounds like a plan,” House responded. He looked at Cameron. “Where are we sleeping?”  
“Come on, I’ll show you,” she said with a smile.  
He followed her to a large bedroom overlooking the mountains. A large four poster bed covered with a quilt faced the large windows. House sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Cameron. “GG grew up in this place?” he asked skeptically.  
Cameron stood at the windows and looked out at the woods and mountains. “Okay,” she confessed. “It was a five room cabin. The fireplace in the living room is all that remains of the original cabin. I did tell you it’s been added on to.”  
“How did GG feel about the changes?”  
Cameron shrugged. House rose and moved to stand behind her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and she leaned back against him.  
She sighed. “She wasn’t thrilled. Mother made most of the changes.”  
“When?”  
“It was finished about six months ago.”  
“Well, that explains why GG never came back. Why didn’t she stop Slutty Bitty?”  
“I don’t know. She never said. Honestly, I loved the old cabin. Bunny and I slept in front of the fireplace. The kitchen had a woodburning stove. There was this wonderful clawfoot tub in the bathroom. We roamed all over the woods picking blueberries and flowers. We’d go into Black Mountain and visit Cherry Street. GG would let us get ice cream at the old shop there. We got groceries at Ingles. It was wonderful. Mother hated it. She loved luxury. GG said she renovated the place without her’s or Dad’s permission. She said Dad was furious.”  
House rested his chin on Cameron’s head. “I think GG held on long enough to see you one last time.”  
“I do, too,” Cameron said brokenly. She turned and buried her face in his chest. He stroked her back as she cried.

The next morning, Bennings drove them to the new hospital. As they got out of the car, House looked around at the sprawling buildings and massive parking lots. Cameron gripped his hand and pointed at the entrance. Workers were hanging a large sign.  
“Dad named if after GG,” she said softly.  
Mundell came to stand next to her. “It seemed appropriate. Mother originally wanted it to be Buncombe County Hospital but I talked her into this.”  
“Grace H. Langston Memorial Hospital,” House said. “I like it. Of course, most people will just call it Langston Memorial.”  
“We can go in, if you like,” Mundell told them. “They’re finishing the interior and beginning some decorating.”  
They all assented and followed him in. The lobby was spacious and a large circular desk sat in the middle beneath several skylights.  
“We wanted this to be open and airy,” Mundell said.  
They followed him around the rest of the massive hospital. By the end, House had to sit down. He rubbed his leg and then pulled out his Vicodin. After dry swallowing two, he looked up at Cameron. Concern shone in her eyes.  
“I’m fine,” he told her. “I just need to sit for a minute.”  
“Oh, House, I am sorry,” Mundell said apologetically. “You seem so...well…I suppose...” He stopped and color flooded his cheeks.  
House nodded. “You forgot I’m a cripple. Don’t worry. I never forget.”  
“I’m sure there’s a wheelchair somewhere,” Hilary said anxiously.  
Wilson shook his head. “Just give him a few minutes.”  
Mundell shoved his hands in his pockets. “I thought we’d have lunch at Moose Cafe. It’s next to the Farmer’s Market and you can see Biltmore Estate from there. Mother loved it. It isn’t fancy but the food is wonderful.”  
“Sounds perfect,” Wilson told him.  
“You can get a t-shirt to add to your collection,” Cameron told House. “And the best apple butter you’ve ever eaten. We always buy several jars of it to take home. It’s delicious on toast.”  
House closed his eyes. “You’re coddling me,” he said quietly. “Stop.”  
“Why don’t we go get Bennings and have him bring the car to the entrance,” Wilson suggested.  
The three of them walked off, leaving House alone with Cameron.  
“I wasn’t coddling you,” she told him.  
“Weren’t you?”  
“No. Dad didn’t mean anything and I was just trying-”  
“To make sure everyone is happy,” he interrupted. “As usual.” Slowly, he stood up and began to make his way to the entrance.  
“Hey!” she called out as she hurried to catch up with him. “That isn’t fair.”  
He stopped and clenched his cane. “None of this is fair. You’re stuck with me and you shouldn’t be.”  
“I thought we went over this last night. I don’t care about your leg. I love you.”  
He blew his breath out. “I’m in pain simply from walking around.”  
“We walked a long way. This place is huge and we walked practically every inch of it. My feet are killing me,” she told him.  
Suddenly he laughed. “Did you see your sister’s shoes?”  
Cameron smiled. “I don’t think she can feel her feet any more. I’m going shopping with her tomorrow. She wants me to help her get a whole new wardrobe.”  
He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “I’m sorry.”  
She stretched up and kissed his cheek. “Apology accepted. Now, let’s get out to the car. Moose Cafe has the best macaroni and cheese and I’m starving.” She held out her hand. House took it and they slowly walked out of the hospital.

That night, Hilary sat out on the back porch rocking gently in a porch swing. Wilson wandered out and leaned against the railing. He looked up at the bright, round moon.  
“It’s going to be a nice hospital,” he commented.  
“I’m not going to sleep with you.”  
He turned and looked at her in shock. “I know.”  
“Not yet anyway.”  
“Okay. Will I have a say in any of this?” he asked.  
She shrugged. “Maybe,” she said. “I just don’t want you to think I’m a cock tease. Those days are over and Cameron said you’re a horn dog.”  
He sat down on the swing next to her. “She said that about me?”  
“Okay, she didn’t use that phrase but she and House both said you’re a real womanizer. House called you the panty peeler of PPTH.”  
“He did, did he?” Wilson asked sharply.  
“Oh, don’t be mad. I did a little digging and you are a little tiny bit of a manwhore.”  
WIlson began to laugh. “So, I’m a panty peeler, a horn dog and a manwhore. Good to know,”   
“Well, he called me Slutty.”  
“I guess we’re quite the pair aren’t we?” he asked with a chuckle.  
She laughed. “I guess we are. I’m not needy, though. I’m sad about losing GG and pissed about all the shit my mother’s done but I’m not needy. So if neediness attracts you, then I’m not the one for you.”  
He rocked and stared out at the faint outline of the mountains in the distance. Hilary pulled one foot up and began to rub it. He took her feet and pulled them up into his lap. Slowly, he began to massage her feet. Hilary sighed in relief.  
“I think I need to break my pattern,” he finally said.  
“So do I.”  
“What if we see how we do as friends?” he asked.  
“I’d like that.”  
He smiled at her and continued to rub her feet.

Cameron stood at the window of the master bedroom and looked out. House noticed she’d been doing that a lot lately and he approached slowly. “More reminiscing?” he asked.  
She glanced at him. “Huh? Oh, yeah. I don’t know if I can live here, House. Too many memories, and Mother butchered this place. It’s like it belongs in a Home Living magazine. It never used to look so…”  
“Elegant?”  
“I was going to say staged, but you’re right. It doesn’t even feel like it’s GG’s place anymore. I can tell Dad isn’t happy either, or he would’ve stayed here too. He’ll probably want to sell it.”  
House shrugged. “Then we’ll find somewhere else to live. It’s no big deal.”  
Cameron’s jaw dropped. “Just like that?”  
“Well, unless you want to hire contractors to turn this place back into what it was, but I don’t see that happening.”  
“No, definitely not.”  
“Then a-house-hunting we will go.” Then he chuckled and gave her a playful nudge. “Ha! See what I did there?”  
“Cute.”  
He wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.   
“I wonder what Wilson and my sister are doing right now?” she said softly as she rolled her neck to one side, giving his lips easy access.  
“You mean, you wonder if they’re doing _it_ right now?”  
Cameron laughed. “You’re impossible!”


	9. Chapter 9

Early the next morning, Cameron slid out of House’s embrace. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back into bed.  
“I have to get dressed,” she laughed softly. “Hilary and I are going shopping today, remember?”  
“No,” House grumbled sleepily. “Bed. Sleep. Sex.”  
“I’ll buy something sexy and do a fashion show tonight.”  
House opened one eye and looked at her. “How sexy?”   
She rolled onto her stomach and kissed him. “Extremely sexy.”  
He closed his eye and released her. She got up and headed for the bathroom.   
“Not slutty!” he called out.  
Cameron laughed and shut the bathroom door.

Hilary drove them to Asheville in GG’s car. She parked on the street outside Mast General Store. As they got out, Cameron looked at Hilary with surprise.  
“I thought you hated this store,” she commented.  
“Slutty Hilary hated this store,” Hilary told her.  
They spent the next three hours shopping and loaded the car with packages. As they drove back to the cabin, Cameron suggested they pick up some groceries from Ingles.  
As they wandered down the dairy aisle, Hilary looked over at Cameron.  
“So, House,” she began. “He’s….different. Is he good in bed?”  
Cameron put a gallon of milk in the cart. “Very,” she said.  
“Big dick?”  
Cameron smiled. “Oh, yeah.”  
“I think Jimmy has a big one, too.”  
Cameron picked up a package of bacon. “You think? You haven’t slept with him yet?”  
“We’re going to try being friends,” Hilary told her as she put several containers of coffee creamer in the cart. “But he was rubbing my feet last night and it feels promising.”  
“Friendship is a good place to start,” Cameron told her as they headed for the meat counter.  
Hilary picked up some ground beef and looked at it. “I just want to be sure. I was sure about Rick.”  
“I was sure about Greg, too. Get some steaks,” Cameron told her.  
Hilary picked up several packages of steak and put them in the cart. “You bought some sexy lingerie. Is it for House?”  
“Yep. It was the only way he’d let me go this morning.”  
Hilary snickered as they went down the bread aisle.  
“Remind me to get peanut butter,” Cameron said as she grabbed several loaves of bread. “Greg loves it.”  
“What does Jimmy like to eat?”  
Cameron titled her head. “I’m not really sure. Ask Greg. He’s always eating whatever Wilson eats.”  
“Are you sure those two aren’t bisexual?”  
Cameron laughed. “Well, there are rumors but no. They’re best friends.”  
“Good,” Hilary sighed. “I don’t care if he is but I don’t want to have to compete with House.”  
They looked at each other and laughed.  
When they got back, Wilson and House were sitting on the deck puffing on cigars. As they entered, House noticed all the bags. “Jesus, did you buy out the store?”  
“Maybe.”  
“So when do I get this fashion show of which you spoke?” Then he leered at Hilary. “Did you get some sexy numbers too?”  
“I might have, but you’re not privy to them,” she replied with a sweet smile.  
“Spoil sport,” he grumbled and continued puffing on his cigar. “What’s for dinner?”  
“Steaks. Why don’t you two make yourself useful and get the grill fired up?”  
“Where is it?”  
“On the deck outside of the kitchen.”  
House stuffed the end of his cigar into the ashtray and got up. “C’mon, Wilson. You heard the lady. We gotta earn our keep.”  
Mundell joined them as Wilson was seasoning the steaks. House sat in a chair with his feet propped up on the railing.   
“More salt,” he told Wilson.  
“Who’s the cook?” Wilson asked as he sprinkled more salt on the meat.  
“I think of you more as my sous-chef.”  
“You two are very entertaining,” Mundell laughed. “What can I do to help?”  
“Ask the head chef,” Wilson told him pointing at House with the BBQ tongs.  
“Allison likes vegetables, so we should probably grill some,” House commented. “And House likes beer, so you could bring him a nice cold one.”  
“Would you like a beer, James?” Mundell asked with a smile.  
“I’d rather have a glass of wine.”  
“Vegetables, beer and wine coming up,” he replied and headed back into the house.  
House folded his hands on his stomach and looked at Wilson. “So, have you and Hilary done the horizontal hokey pokey yet?”  
“Nope.”  
“Little Jimmy get stage fright?” House asked.  
“Nope.”  
House sighed in exasperation. “The monosyllabic answers are getting annoying. Why haven’t you had sex with her? Usually at this point, you’re picking out wedding china.”  
“We’re going to be friends first.”  
“Oh, Jesus. She’s never going to sleep with you. Being friends is female speak for ‘You ain’t getting near my hoo ha’. You’re going to end up in the friend zone. Mark my words.”  
Mundell returned and Wilson took the tray from him. He handed House a bottle of beer and then began arranging fresh veggies on the grill. As the food sizzled, he took a sip of wine.  
“I wanted to talk to you both. I’m selling the house in Alpine and most likely the cabin. I’ll buy houses for all of you, of course.”  
“Sell the houses if that’s what you want to do but you aren’t buying us houses,” House told him.  
“I’m with House. I have a place in Princeton,” Wilson said.  
“Allison and I were talking about this last night,” House continued. “We’re getting a place closer to the hospital. And old Jimmy here still works at PPTH.”  
Mundell frowned. “I thought you would head up the Oncology department.”  
“I haven’t decided yet. It’s nice here but I like working at PPTH.”  
“He’ll come,” House said. “He can’t bear to be away from me.”  
Wilson rolled his eyes. “Yes,” he said drily. “My whole world revolves around you.”  
“Yeah it does.”  
Wilson pulled the steaks off the grill and put them on a plate to rest. He piled the grilled vegetables on the tray Mundell brought out.  
“The girls should have the table set by now,” Mundell said. He looked at Wilson. “Please consider coming to work at Langston Memorial. I can offer you triple your current salary and stock options in Langston Incorporated.”  
House stood, grabbed his cane and beer, and leaned close to Wilson. “You’d be an idiot to turn that down.”  
Wilson picked up the trays of food and followed House into the kitchen. House was right. Plus, he’d be close to Hilary. He really wanted to see where their relationship could go. When he entered the kitchen, he saw her laughing at something House said. He’d type up his resignation tonight and go back to Princeton in the morning. He felt as if a huge weight was lifted from him. Smiling, he joined the others.

House sat in the middle of the bed. “Hurry up!” he called.  
“I’m trying,” Cameron said from the bathroom. “This is more complicated than I thought.”  
House groaned. “Does that mean I’ll need a crowbar to get you out of it?”  
“I hope not!”  
Finally, the bathroom door swung open. Cameron strutted out wearing strings attached to two black bows covering her nipples which led to a another black bow atop a silky black triangle. Her long blonde hair flowed down her back and she twirled so he could see the g-string and her firm, round ass.  
House growled. “I like it. Now get over here so I can get that off you.”  
She climbed up on the end of the bed and crawled toward him. Smiling seductively, she kneeled in front of him. “We need to get something sexy for you,” she purred.  
“And you just killed the mood. Little Greg has gone into hiding.”  
Cameron sat on her heels. “Maybe I can coax him out.” She slid the straps off her shoulders and pulled one bow down giving him a glimpse of one rosy nipple.  
“He’s mildly interested,” House told her.  
She pushed the straps down to her waist. Then she reached out and slipped her hand into his boxer shorts. “Oh, he’s more than interested,” she told him as she pulled his erection out and stroked him. He threw his head back and closed his eyes as a low moan rumbled in his chest.  
“Oh, yeah, he likes that,” Cameron smiled.   
Leaning down, she flicked her tongue against the tip.  
“Oh, Jesus Christ!” House groaned.  
She released him and he opened his eyes. Slowly she stood up on the bed and shimmied out of her lingerie. She rubbed her hands down her thighs. House grabbed her legs and placed kisses along the inside of each thigh. She sank down on him and rubbed her breasts against his chest. Desire shot through him and he maneuvered her so she hovered over him. He rubbed his cock against her wet nub. She tried to slide down and take him in but he held her still. He rubbed back and forth until sweat gleamed on her skin and she panted his name. Then he lay back, pulled her down and pushed up into her. She leaned forward and placed her hands on his shoulders as she rode him hard. His skin heated up and fire roared through his veins. She stilled for a moment and he felt her inner walls clamp onto him. He could feel the pulses of her orgasm and a moment later she began moving again. He felt his balls tighten and then he arched up off the bed as his own orgasm pounded through him. She collapsed on top of him and he wrapped his arms around her. Her sweat dampened hair clung to his chest and he could feel her heart thundering in her chest.  
“It’s always so good with you,” she breathed.  
“Marry me,” he panted,  
She rose up on her hands and looked down at him. “What?”  
He looked intensely at her, watching her expression. “Marry me.”  
Her mouth opened and closed. Finally she swallowed. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes.”  
He rolled her onto her side and pushed her hair back before he kissed her. “I don’t have a ring.”  
She ran her hand over his shoulder. “I don’t need one. I just need you.”  
He kissed her again. “Good.” A realization suddenly hit him and he groaned as he scratched his forehead with his thumb. “Oh God...I guess I should’ve asked your father first.”  
Cameron began to giggle.  
“And just what is so funny, future wife?” he asked.  
“You’re scared of my father.”  
“Am not!” he said and stuck his tongue out at her. She leaned over and captured his tongue with her mouth, which led to a long, deep passionate kiss until they both had to come up for air.  
Cameron smirked. “Cuddy is going to have a complete shit fit when she finds out.”  
“That’s not why I asked you,” he told her.  
“I know,” she giggled. “It’s just an added benefit. I’m going to want some popcorn for that show.” She draped her arm over him and slid her leg between his. “Sleep,” she said. “Then more sex.”  
“I love the way your mind works,” he yawned.  
She tucked her head beneath his chin and they both fell into a deep sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

House heard someone moving around in the kitchen and his stomach rumbled just thinking about food. Careful not to wake Cameron, he got out of bed, threw on his PJ’s and went to start the coffee.  
Mundell had beaten him to it and was already getting items out to make breakfast.  
“You cook?” House asked him.  
“Sometimes. I was a bachelor once, too.” He looked at House curiously. “You’re up early.”  
“I was hungry.”  
“As always,” Mundell chuckled. “What can I do for you?”  
House didn’t know how to bring it up, so he took a deep breath and sat down at the counter. “I want to marry your daughter.”  
A small smile curved Mundell’s lips. “Yes, I expected that. Kind of sudden though, isn’t it, House? As you say, you two haven’t been together very long and got together under false pretenses. Not the usual way a couple goes about it.”  
“Yeah well...I’m not a usual kinda guy.”  
“That’s for sure. Look, you’re a good man, House, and you clearly make Allison very happy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look at any man the way she looks at you. But you have to know, I will be having our lawyer draw up a prenup.”  
House nodded. “Not a problem.”  
Mundell blinked. “Really?”  
“Well, yeah. I mean, I wouldn’t trust some guy you’ve only known for two weeks, either. However, just so you know, I’m not marrying her for the money. I have plenty of my own. I was a department head at PPTH. And while I don’t have millions like you, Allison won’t ever want or need for anything.”  
“I know that. But you never know what can happen in the future.”  
“That’s fair. As long as we understand each other.”  
Mundell extended his hand to House, and House took it. “Welcome to the family. Such as we are.”  
***  
“Need your help,” House said as Wilson packed to head back to Princeton that afternoon.  
“With what?” Wilson asked as he zipped up his suitcase.  
“I asked Cameron to marry me. I need a ring.”  
Wilson looked like a fish out of water and his jaw dropped. “You did what?”  
“I asked her to marry me, and she said yes. I need to get her a ring. I figure if anyone has experience with that, it’s you.”  
“Usually you get the ring before you ask. Anyway, you know that she’ll love whatever you pick. You don’t need my help.”  
“I don’t know anything about diamonds or the double C’s or….”  
“Four C’s,” Wilson corrected. “Pervert.”  
“Takes one to know one.”  
“Look, just go to any jeweler and tell them what you want. They’ll be more than happy to help you spend a small fortune.”  
“How much are we talking?”  
“For a decent sized diamond of good quality? At least ten grand, maybe more.”  
House winced.  
“Cameron’s worth that,” Wilson reminded his friend.   
“A hundred times over.”  
“Yes she is. So don’t worry about it.”  
“I need to get her ring size,” House told him. “Think you can get Hilary to help with that?”  
“Sure.” Wilson looked at him shrewdly. “You signing a pre-nup?”  
“Absolutely. I don’t want anyone saying I’m marrying her for her money.”  
“You mean Cuddy and Greyson.”  
House nodded grimly. “Especially those two. That asshole will do anything he can to stop us and I doubt Cuddy will buy us a wedding gift.”  
A car horn sounded and Wilson picked up his suitcase. “Well, that’s the airport shuttle. Wish me luck. I have a feeling Cuddy is going to make me jump through hoops.”  
“Hilary isn’t taking you?” House asked as he followed Wilson out.  
“That’s a relationship thing,” Wilson smiled. “We’re friends, remember?”  
“You’re an idiot,” House told him with a smirk. “You are never gaining access to her bunny fur.”  
Wilson climbed into the van. “Uh huh. See you at GG’s memorial service.”  
House went back into the house and followed the scent of bacon and coffee to the kitchen. Cameron and Hilary were nowhere in sight so House sat down with Mundell. They dug into fried eggs, bacon, hash browns and biscuits. Mundell even squeezed some fresh orange juice for them.  
“I was thinking about your engagement and upcoming wedding,” Mundell said. “I would be honored if you allowed me to give you Mother’s engagement and wedding rings. Allison always loved them. Mother gave my father’s ring to Hilary and well, it’s gone now.”  
“Only if you let me buy them from you,” House said. He was serious.  
Mundell took a bite of biscuit and washed it down with a sip of coffee. “I think we could work something out,” he told House.  
***  
The day before GG’s service, Cameron seemed down and House was at a loss on how to cheer her up. He let her be for the most part so she could process the death of her grandmother in her own way. Hilary was also sad, but Mundell was taking good care of her.   
After watching her mope for several hours, he knew exactly what might lift her spirits a little. “I have something that might cheer you up,” he told her.  
Cameron looked up from the medical journal she was reading, her legs curled under her as she sat on the couch in the library.  
“Mhm? What did you say?”  
“I said, I have something that might cheer you up. But you have to close your eyes.”  
“House...if this is another one of your tricks to get sex…”  
He pretended to look hurt. “Would I do that in your hour of grief?”  
Cameron chuckled. “Yes.”  
“Just close your eyes, woman. I think you’re gonna like this.”  
She rolled her eyes, put down the journal and her eyes fluttered closed. “Okay.”  
He reached into his pocket for the ring box Mundell gave him earlier that day. “Open them.”  
She did and gasped when she saw the ring box, immediately recognizing it and then gasped again when she opened it to reveal GG’s engagement ring. “Oh my God…”  
“Your father said GG would want you to have it so I bought it from him.”  
A single tear rolled down her cheek as she stared at the 1.5 carat round diamond in its platinum band.   
“It’s so beautiful…”  
House took it out of the box and took her hand, sliding the ring on her finger easily. It was a perfect fit. “You haven’t changed your mind, I hope.”  
She looked at him, and he seemed a little nervous, so she let out a small laugh. “No. Never. I just...can’t believe it’s really happening. I never….I never thought you wanted to marry anyone…”  
“I didn’t. Until you came along and changed everything.”  
She reached up and stroked his stubbled cheek and he leaned into her touch as she kissed him softly, her lips gently brushing against his.  
House kissed her back just as gently and pulled her against him as his fingers buried in her hair.  
“I love you so much,” she murmured against his lips and then pulled back. “I know it’s hard for you to say and that’s fine. Your actions speak louder than words.”  
He closed his eyes. “It’s hard for me.”  
“I know.” She stood up and offered him her hand. “Why don’t you show me, Doctor House?”  
He grinned back at her and took her hand as he used his cane to stand. “I think that can be arranged, Doctor House.”  
She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I like the way that sounds. Say it again.”  
House lowered his head and began kissing her neck. “Doctor..Allison...House…”  
“Mmm…Langston Memorial won’t know what to do with two Doctor House’s.”  
“That’s the fun part. Keep ‘em guessing.”  
“You’re so bad….”  
“I think you like the bad boys.”  
“Just one in particular. Come on, it’s late. We should go to bed. Big day tomorrow.”  
“I think big is putting it mildly,” House said softly as he followed her to the elevator.  
“Me too, but let’s try not to think about it anymore tonight, okay? I’d rather think about how you’re going to make love to me.”  
Once they were in the elevator, he backed her up against the wall and kissed her. His hands tugged on the hem of her shirt so he could reach underneath and caress her breasts.  
“Mmm...yes….” she sighed as his lips moved down her neck and across her throat. Her hands began unbuttoning his shirt the rest of the way and slid under his T-shirt. When her nails raked over his nipples, House moaned softly, reached over and hit the button to stop the elevator. “Not here, House…”  
“Right here….right now...want you,” he murmured against her lips as he forced her mouth open under his and grabbed her leg to wrap around his waist.   
At first she was worried about how his leg was going to hold up but when she heard him unzip his jeans, she suddenly didn’t care.  
“Your leg…”  
“It’s fine…” he assured her and when she felt him pressing into her, she moaned and threw her head back.  
“Yesss...it is...oh God…”  
He knew it wasn’t the lovemaking she had in mind, but she didn’t seem to be complaining and in fact, her response was exactly what he was going for. It would be quick and it would be primal, but sometimes that was just as effective as a long, slow makeout session. And being in an elevator only made it that much more exciting.   
“Love in an elevator,” he sang in her ear as he nibbled at it, causing her to giggle.   
“Goof.”  
He gave one hard thrust and her whole body shook in response. “You’re so...fucking...sexy,” he grunted between thrusts as he moved faster and deeper than he ever thought possible. His leg was beginning to twinge in warning but he didn’t care. He kept going until her climax took her over the edge, and him with her.   
His leg decided it had enough and he slid to the floor with her pinned under him.   
“Unghh!” she groaned. “Oh God, House...are you okay?”  
“I will be,” he grunted through his teeth as he rubbed his thigh. “Endorphins don’t last nearly long enough…”  
She hit a button and the doors opened. “Come on, let’s get you into bed.”  
“Mmm...music to my ears,” he grunted as he let her help him to his feet.   
***  
Wilson paced back and forth in the entry of the funeral home. He couldn’t remember when he was so angry. People walked past him but he didn’t notice them. The longer he paced, the angrier he got.   
For the most part, his trip back to Princeton went smoothly. The board at PPTH accepted his resignation and several members offered to write him letters of recommendation. All of them knew the Langston family and respected them. They were all invited to the memorial service.   
After clearing out his office, he went to see Cuddy. That was one of the biggest mistakes he ever made. She was furious. She refused to accept his resignation and threatened to sue him and House both for breach of contract. When she began throwing things at him, he called the head of the board. Now she was unemployed and still threatening to sue. He always thought she was tough but level headed. Something was off about her but Wilson was too angry to figure out what it was. He knew she was involved with Greyson and Wilson didn’t trust him. He was a sneaky, devious bastard with no ethics or morals.  
‘Wilson!” House called out making him jump slightly.  
He turned to see House poking his head out of a doorway.  
“Get your ass in here,” House said.  
Wilson shook his head to clear it and strode down the hallway to House. He walked in and saw Mundell, Hilary, Cameron and Bennings standing together in a small parlor. Hilary looked at him with wide eyes. Both she and Cameron wore simple black dresses with pearls. Hilary’s hair hung straight and shiny down her back. Cameron wore hers in a simple bun. Wilson saw the engagement ring on Cameron’s left hand and smiled slightly.  
“It’s time to go,” House told him. “The family enters last and we’re part of the family.”  
Wilson walked over to Hilary. “Can a friend hold your hand?” he asked her.  
She nodded and gripped his hand. “This all seems so surreal. I keep waiting for GG to walk in and tell us we’ve made a mistake. But, we haven’t, have we? She’s really gone.”  
Wilson nodded.  
The funeral director opened the door. “Everything is ready, sir,” he told Mundell.  
They all followed him out and into the main room. Flowers covered a raised stage and a painting of GG sat on an easel next to the podium. Hilary began to cry softly and WIlson put his arm around her as they walked. House looked at Cameron but she stared straight ahead, her face devoid of expression. The only sign of distress she gave was the death grip she had on his hand.   
They walked to the front and sat down on the long deep red velvet pew.   
A clergyman stepped up to the podium and spoke about GG. Then Mundell got up and walked slowly up the steps. Once he stood behind the podium, he pulled a paper out of his jacket. He unfolded it and smoothed it out. He looked down at it and then out at the silent crowd. Looking down, he started to read.  
“Grace Allison Houghton Langston was born on June 1, 1917, in Black Mountain, North Carolina…” he began. He looked at the paper and then crumbled it up. He looked up and tears gleamed in his eyes. “I wrote a eulogy that most of you in this room would consider proper for a woman like Grace Langston. But to me and my daughters, she was more than just Grace Houghton Langston, matriarch of the Langstons. I called her Mother around other people but she was my Mama. She was smart, strong, funny, kind and could spot a phony a mile away. She was elegant but she could also spit a watermelon seed and shell peas. When I was a boy, she woke me each morning with a kiss and a smile. She did that the morning she died. She made me laugh, cry and a better man. She loved all of us unconditionally. I made mistakes and she never judged me.” His voice broke and he lowered his head. “She was the finest woman I know. I miss her so much. I don’t know what to do without Mama.”  
Cameron stood and walked up to her father. She put her arm around him and helped him down the stairs. Wilson jumped up and helped her lead him down the aisle. House stood and held out his hand to Hilary. She took it and they followed with Bennings behind them.  
Back in the room, Mundell pulled his daughters into his arms and the three of them hugged. He kissed each of them on the forehead and then released them. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his eyes.  
“We should go,” he said shakily. “Everyone is coming to the house. We should be there to greet them.”  
Cameron moved close to House and wrapped her arm around his waist. “Don’t leave me,” she whispered.  
He pulled her against his side and kissed the top of her head. “I won’t,” he promised.  
***  
They arrived at the house and went straight to the ballroom where they had celebrated GG’s birthday. Hilary sank down on a couch and Wilson sat next to her. House and Cameron sat on a couch near them. Couches, chairs and tables were scattered over the room. There were tables loaded with food and drinks. Flowers seemed to cover every surface. The sweet scent of them filled the room.  
Cameron rested her head on House’s shoulder and he put his arm around her.  
Mundell stood at the entrance to the room with Bennings. People began to arrive and Mundell greeted them all. When the room filled, Mundell walked over and sat down next to House and Cameron.   
“Mundell!” A male voice called out and he turned to see an older couple approaching. It was Greyson’s parents.  
“Walter, Evelyn, so glad to see you.”  
“Mundell, my good friend. I’m so sorry for your loss, GG was an amazing woman.”  
“Thank you. You remember Allison, of course. She’ll be on the hiring committee for the new hospital.”  
“Of course we remember,” Evelyn smiled as she took both of Cameron’s hands in hers. “We heard you were working at some hospital in Jersey.”  
“I was. This is Doctor Gregory House, my fiance,” she told them.  
Evelyn smiled sweetly. She was short and plump. She reminded House of a tiny brown bird. Walter was also short and rather stout but his eyes were kind and he radiated goodness. How they ended up with a son like Greyson was beyond him. House smiled as they congratulated them and then offered their condolences.  
“GG was so wonderful to me,” Evelyn told them. “I miss her. This must be so hard on all of you.”  
“She was a fine woman,” Walter said. “I always enjoyed spending time with her. She got me to like grits.”  
They all laughed then Walter cleared his throat. “I, um, I want to apologize for Greyson. I cut him off financially and it sent him into a tailspin. GG advised me to do it years ago and I wish I listened to her.”  
“Yes,” Evelyn added. “I just don’t know where we went wrong with him. I suppose we overindulged him because he was our only child.”  
House started to open his mouth but clamped it shut. Overindulged was an understatement.  
After exchanging a few more memories about GG, they walked away.  
“Those two people raised Greysquirrel?” House whispered.  
“Shocking, isn’t it?” Cameron whispered back. “They are two of the most moral and ethical people I know. GG said they were sweet as sugar. I do remember hearing her tell Dad it was shame they couldn’t have anymore children. I think they had a hard time conceiving him.”  
“I have a hard time conceiving him,” House shot back.  
Cameron laughed softly and then sighed. “We should get up and mingle.”  
“Can’t we just sit here and ignore people?” he asked.  
“I wish,” she told him as she stood and smoothed her dress. “Why don’t you play a little something for us?”  
“Like?”  
“I don’t know. Anything. You know GG liked it when you played for her.”  
House pushed himself up and went over to the piano and sat down. He played a few soft notes to warm up and people stopped talking to listen.


	11. Chapter 11

“Wait…” Cuddy said as she and Greyson entered the deserted foyer.  
“What?”  
“Shh!” She hissed at him, cocking her head to one side at the music that echoed down the hall. Someone was playing the piano and singing. It couldn’t be House, could it? While she knew he played piano, she’d never heard him sing before. It certainly sounded like him and she headed down the hall to investigate. Sure enough, House was seated at a grand piano, singing for GG one last time.   
Cuddy entered the room, found Cameron and looked at her with sympathy and sadness.  
“I was so sorry to hear about your grandmother,” she said sincerely. “I know how hard it is to lose someone you love.”  
Cameron stared at her in shock. Then she blinked. “Uh, thank you,” she said. “I heard the board let you go. I’m sorry to hear that.”  
Cuddy looked confused. “Yeah, I’m not really sure what happened. I put in some applications in Manhattan. Hopefully I’ll get hired at one of the hospitals there. I’ve always wanted to live there. You know, get a loft apartment and get back to practicing medicine.”  
“Who are you and what did you do with Cuddy?” House asked from behind them.  
She frowned in confusion at him. “What are you talking about?”  
“You’re like a pod person.”   
She laughed uncomfortably. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him.” she said to Cameron. She glanced down at Cameron’s left hand. “That’s a beautiful ring. Are you and House engaged?”  
Cameron nodded warily. “Yes, we are.”  
Cuddy smiled. “Congratulations. I think you’re the only person who can deal with him.”  
Greyson cleared his throat. “Let me get you something to drink, Lisa.”  
“White wine, please,” she told him. Once he was gone, she pursed her lips. “He insisted we come. I wasn’t too sure but I wanted to see you and express my condolences.”  
“Do you remember breaking into my apartment and screaming at us?” House asked looking at her closely.  
“Why would I do that?” she asked.   
“Do you remember coming here with Greyson and causing a scene?” he continued.  
“I think you’ve been taking too much Vicodin,” she told him with a frown. “I’ve never been here before.”  
“Oh, Jesus,” he breathed. He leaned down and whispered to Cameron. She nodded and walked away.  
Greyson returned with a glass of white wine and handed it to her. She took a sip and looked around.  
“So,” House began conversationally. “How did you and old Greyhound here meet?”  
Greyson narrowed his eyes but remained silent.   
Cuddy drank some more of her wine. “He stopped by my office and told me about Cameron’s grandmother. Why are you suddenly so curious about what I’m doing, House?”  
Wilson joined them. Cuddy smiled at him. “I heard you’re moving to North Carolina.”  
He nodded and looked at House. House tilted his head and looked at Wilson with wide eyes.  
“Um, yeah. I felt the need for a change,” he told her.  
She nodded and finished her wine. A fine sheen of sweat broke out on her face and she swayed on her feet. She began to breathe heavily and her expression changed to one of anger. Greyson stood next to her with a smug look on his face.  
“Where’s your whore?” she snarled at House.  
“And she’s back,” House whispered.  
“Do you honestly think she loves you? I love you! I’ve loved you since that night in college!”  
“Drugged,” Wilson whispered. “The wine.”  
House looked at Greyson. “What did you put in her drink, Greyshit?”  
Wilson looked hard at the younger man who simply looked back at him with a half-smile. “A psychotropic?”   
“I simply brought her some wine,” Greyson responded smoothly malice glinting in his eyes.  
“CAMERON!” Cuddy suddenly screamed. “WHERE ARE YOU, YOU BACKSTABBING BITCH??”  
Everyone in the room stopped talking and turned to look at her.  
“We gotta get her out of here,” Wilson said.  
Cuddy threw her wine glass at House. “Is she waiting for you to fuck her?”  
Wilson grabbed her but she fought him.  
“Jeeves!” House shouted. “Need help in here!”  
A moment later, Bennings was at his side with four police officers. Two grabbed Cuddy and started to drag her away. Bennings looked at House and Wilson.   
“Take her to my room,” Wilson instructed. “She’s been drugged.”  
Bennings nodded and followed the police who struggled with Cuddy.  
Once Cuddy was gone, House held Cameron close to him while Greyson stood there, hands in his pockets. Mundell, Walter and Evelyn hurried over to them.   
“You might wanna search his pockets,” House said to one of the officers.  
Greyson’s eyes widened. “What? How dare you…”  
One of the cops stepped forward and took him by the arm. “Sir, up against the wall. Spread ‘em.”  
“You can’t do this...I have rights….”  
“We can place you under arrest if we have to.”  
“For what?”  
“For drugging someone’s drink for starters,” House said as he handed the glass Cuddy was drinking from to the other cop. “She threw this at me.”  
The police officer sniffed the glass and frowned. “Smells like there’s vinegar in it. Probably heroin,” he told his partner. He held the glass carefully and pulled out a latex glove. He wrapped it around the glass.  
“Greyson Rockland, you’re under arrest. You have the right to remain silent…”  
“What the fuck!? This is ridiculous! Dad! Are you just going to stand there?”  
“You have the right to remain silent, son,” Walter said, “I suggest you keep your mouth shut for once in your life and don’t say boo to a goose, do you understand?”   
Greyson rolled his eyes but Walter grabbed his son’s chin and forced him to look at him. “Do you want my help or not?”  
“Yes...yes sir.”  
“Then shut the hell up and don’t talk to anyone without our lawyer present.”  
“Yes, sir.”  
After they led Greyson away, the reception carried on for another couple of hours with Wilson and House checking up on Cuddy, who was sound asleep in Wilson’s room.   
“Let’s move her to the another guest bedroom where we can keep an eye on her if anything happens,” House said to Wilson.  
Mundell’s eyes widened. “You’re keeping her here? After everything she’s done?”  
“Just until morning,” House assured him. “We have to make sure she’s going to be okay. We’re responsible for her right now. If Greyson drugged her with heroin, she needs to be monitored. She may end up going through withdrawal. I can tell you from experience that it’s terrible.”  
“I’ll take her back with me when I go to Princeton tomorrow to pack up my stuff. She may have to be hospitalized.”  
Hilary looked at him, sadly. “You’re leaving tomorrow? When were you going to tell me?”  
“I wasn’t going to leave for a few days yet, but in light of recent events, it makes sense for me to go now. I won’t be gone long. I need to tie up some more loose ends anyway and get House’s place sorted out as well.”  
Hilary nodded and walked off, leaving Wilson to sigh and look defeated. “I’ll get Bennings to help me move Cuddy into the other room and then I’ll deal with Hilary.” He turned to Mundell. “I’m sorry for all this.”  
“So am I. Thank you, James.”  
Once they Cuddy moved into the room House once occupied and House determined she was out of danger, he told Wilson he’d keep an eye on her and to go find Hilary.  
It wasn’t hard to find her. She was downstairs in the billiard room shooting a single game of pool as she proceeded to get very drunk on champagne.  
“There you are,” he said as he closed the door behind him.   
“Shouldn’t you be packing or...something?” she snapped as she sank a ball in the corner pocket.  
“Hilary…”  
“James, go to bed. I’m fine.”  
“No, I don’t think you are,” he said as he poured himself a glass of champagne and sipped from it.  
“You might be a doctor, but you’re clueless when it comes to women. No wonder you’ve been married three times.”  
“Touche,” he said as he raised his glass. “But you don’t think I see my share of grief every day at work? I lose patients on a regular basis. I know you’re sad about GG. There’s nothing wrong with that.”  
“I hate grieving,” she said and sank another ball.  
“Who doesn’t?”  
“Why do you have to leave tomorrow?”  
“I have to make sure Cuddy is taken care of.”  
“Why can’t Greg take her home?”  
“It’s probably best that he doesn’t. Cuddy’s been infatuated with him for years. We don’t want her making any more trouble for him.”  
He took a pool cue off the wall and put chalk on the end of it. “New game?”  
“Sure, you can break.”  
She went over and topped up her glass, watching him like he was her prey and he smiled back at her as he leaned over the pool table to take the first shot. His eyes never left hers as he made the shot and sent the balls scattering in every direction. He sank two striped balls and took a sip of champagne before sinking two more.  
“I think I’m being hustled,” she giggled as she moved closer to him. “Funny, you weren’t this good when we played the other night. You’ve been holding out on me, Doctor Wilson,” she said as her finger slid down his chest.  
“What’re you going to do about it?”  
“Up the stakes of course. If we’re going to play, let’s make it worth our while.”  
“What did you have in mind?”  
“Loser has to kiss the winner. And not just a peck, a full on, deep passionate kiss. Up for it?”  
“How many games?”  
“Best of three.”  
“You’re on.


	12. Chapter 12

Cuddy woke to find a man in a black suit sitting next to the bed she laid on. She felt sick, shaky and confused.  
“Where am I? Who are you?” she asked hoarsely.  
“At the Langston Estate and I am Bennings. I shall go get Doctor House,” he told her.  
“I’m going to be sick,” she gasped as she tried to sit up.  
Bennings helped her to the bathroom and held her hair as she threw up. When he saw the blood in her vomit, he removed one hand and pressed the intercom. Cuddy continued to heave up blood and bile.  
“Please send Doctor House and Miss Allison to the guest room where Doctor Cuddy is,” he said.   
Cuddy was still throwing up when House and Cameron arrived in the bathroom.  
“Oh, my God!” Cameron gasped. She ran over to Cuddy and took Bennings’ place at her side. Speaking soothingly, she stroked Cuddy’s back. Cuddy finally stopped throwing up. She leaned against Cameron, crying softly.  
“Get my medical bag, Jeeves,” House instructed.  
Bennings nodded and left.  
“She’s burning up,” Cameron told him. “Fill the tub with cool water. I’ll get her in.”  
House turned on the taps and water gushed into the tub. He adjusted the temperature and then turned to help Cameron undress Cuddy. Cameron waved him away.  
“Go wait for Bennings and then bring me your medical bag. I’ll take care of her,” she told him.  
“I know it’s been a long time, but I have seen her naked,” House reminded her.  
“Greg, please,” Cameron pleaded. “She’s been drugged for who knows how long. She doesn’t need to see you in here. There’s no point in antagonizing her.”  
House narrowed his eyes. “And you won’t?”  
“Just go,” Cuddy whispered. “Let Cameron take care of me. Please.”  
“Fine.” House turned and nearly bumped into Bennings. House jerked a thumb at Cameron. “Give her the bag, Jeeves. I’m going to get a drink.”  
Bennings nodded, put the bag on the counter and followed House out.  
“I hope I didn’t cause problems for you and House,” Cuddy murmured weakly.  
“It’s fine,” Cameron assured her. “We need to get you in the tub. I’ll undress you. Just relax.”  
Cuddy nodded. Cameron stripped her clothes off and helped her into the tub. Cuddy began to shake and her skin turned a sickly shade of gray. Cameron grabbed the medical bag and opened it. She found a vial of methadone and a syringe.  
“Why would he have methadone?” Cameron questioned softly.  
“Because he’s House,” Cuddy answered shakily. “He probably has drugs stashed everywhere.”  
Cameron loaded a dose in the syringe and found an alcohol swab. Quickly and efficiently, she gave Cuddy the shot.  
“The methadone should help with the withdrawal symptoms,” she told Cuddy as she put everything back in the bag and snapped it shut.  
“What happened?”  
“Greyson was dosing you. I don’t know how long or how much or even what he gave you. You were either very docile or completely insane.”  
“That rotten bastard.”  
“Someone at PPTH had to be helping him,” Cameron told her.  
Cuddy sighed and some color returned to her face. “Probably Jeffrey Sparkman. I should have fired him years ago.”  
Cameron grabbed a bath sponge and wiped Cuddy’s face. “You know he posts videos about House on YouTube, don’t you?”  
“No but I’m not surprised. He was always filing grievances against House. Of course, House went out of his way to provoke him.”  
“What do you remember?” Cameron asked her.  
Cuddy leaned back and closed her eyes. “I’m not sure. I remember talking to Mr. Hernandez about his wife, Marina. Then I went back to my office and found your letter of resignation….everything after that is a blank until I woke up here.”  
“How did you get my letter of resignation? I tore it up,” Cameron told her.  
Cuddy shook her head and then grimaced. “It was on my desk. I remember thinking your signature looked a bit off but I figured you were leaving to be with Chase.”  
Cameron wiped Cuddy’s face again. “Well, just rest. I want to give you something for the fever.”  
Getting up, she opened one of the cabinets. She grabbed a bottle of acetaminophen and filled a glass with water. She carried both over to Cuddy and gave her two pills. Cameron helped her sit up and take them then eased her back in the water. She pressed the intercom.  
“Will you bring a clean nightgown and six bottles of water, please?” she asked.  
“Yes, Miss Allison,” Bennings answered.  
She started to sponge Cuddy down with the cool water. She heard Bennings in the bedroom so she got a thermometer. After she took Cuddy’s temperature, she helped her from the tub and dried her off.  
“What’s my temp?” Cuddy asked as she leaned against Cameron.  
“102.”  
“I’m tired.”  
Cameron half carried her out to the bedroom and put the nightgown over her head. Once it was on, she got Cuddy back in the bed. She opened a bottle of water and helped Cuddy drink some of it.  
“I’m going to stay with you,” Cameron told her.  
“To make sure I don’t stop breathing?”  
Cameron nodded and pulled a chair up to the side of the bed. “Just try to sleep.”  
***  
“That’s my second win and the last game,” Wilson pointed out. “I win the bet.”  
“I still say I was hustled, but a win’s a win.” Hilary walked over to him and reached up to give him the long, deep kiss he’d been waiting for, and she didn’t disappoint. He returned the kiss and buried his fingers in her long hair, holding the back of her head as the kiss intensified.  
“I think you let me win that second game just to get my hopes up,” she murmured between kisses as he lowered her back against the pool table and held her in place as he stood between her legs.  
“Think what you want,” he said as his hands slid up her thighs, under her dress.  
Hilary gasped and immediately wrapped her legs around Wilson’s waist as they resumed kissing.   
“Mmm...James….I want you...I’ve always wanted you…”  
“I want you too,” he murmured against her lips as he shoved her dress higher. “But….”  
“Please...I need you. I need to feel you…”  
“Maybe we should go…”  
“No,” Hilary said as she unbuttoned Wilson’s shirt and shoved it off his shoulders. “I want you right now...right here.” She pulled him down on top of her so she could give him one of her long, deep kisses. Her tongue slid against his.  
All of a sudden Wilson lost all form of conscious thought and he reached under her dress to pull off her white satin thong underwear.  
Hilary unzipped his pants and released him from the confines of his boxers, stroking him to get him even harder, which didn’t take long, since he was already halfway there.  
He grabbed her hair and pulled her close for another kiss as he used his free hand to pull her to the edge of the pool table and slammed into her.  
She let out a strangled cry as he immediately began pounding into her, his mouth forcing hers open under his as his tongue explored.  
“Yes! Oh God, James, yes! Harder! Faster!”  
Her words of encouragement were all he needed to hit his own orgasm, and she followed shortly thereafter, holding him against her breast as she stroked his sweaty hair.  
“I’m going to miss you, James. Try not to stay away too long.”  
“I’ll try. I have a lot to take care of in Princeton and then in Asheville, I need to find a place to live…”  
“I have a friend out there who’s a real estate agent. Give me an idea of what you’re looking for and I’ll call her. She’s pretty good.”  
“She’s gotta be better than my ex-wife.”  
Hilary smirked. “Which one?”  
“Touche.”  
***  
An hour later, House entered the guest room where Cuddy slept and pulled a chair over to the bed. Cameron looked up from the book she was reading.  
“When were you going to tell me about the methadone?” she asked quietly.  
He looked down at the head of his cane. “I don’t know.”  
“Is it helping?”  
He nodded.  
“I just realized you haven’t been taking any Vicodin. I was so caught up in GG’s death and all the drama with Greyson and Cuddy that I didn’t notice until I was sitting here. What if you stop breathing?”  
He shrugged. “You’re with me.”  
“And the drinking?”  
He shook his head. “I either drink club soda or throw it up.”  
“Jesus, Greg. Why didn’t you just tell me?”  
“Do you have any idea how impotent I feel because of my damn leg?” he hissed at her. “I can’t pick you up and carry you to bed. You usually have to be on top when we have sex because of my damn leg. I won’t be able to carry you over the threshold after we’re married. I can’t even go for a fucking walk with you!” he said in frustration.  
“You’re an idiot! Do you think I care about those things? I don’t! I love you. I don’t want you to be in pain but I also don’t want you to endanger your life just so you can pick me up or go for a damn walk!”  
“Shhh!” he shushed her looking at Cuddy. “You’ll wake the beast.”  
“I gave her methadone about thirty minutes ago. She’s not waking up for a while. So stop trying to distract me.”  
House slumped in his chair. “You deserve a normal man.”  
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” she groaned. “You are a normal man. You just happen to have a bad leg.” She shook her head. “You need to get over this. You need to trust me.”  
“I do trust you.”  
“Really?” she asked skeptically. “Because if you did you would’ve told me about the methadone. We have to be honest and open with each other or this relationship is doomed.”  
He looked out the window.  
Cameron gasped. “Do you want our relationship to fail?”   
“No,” he whispered. “But I’ll screw it up. I always screw it up.”  
“You and your absolutes,” she sighed. “Look at me.”  
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.   
“You may have chased Stacy away and other women you were involved with but you’re not getting rid of me so easily. I love you. You’re stuck with me so deal with it. Man up, House.”  
“I can’t lose you.”  
“Then don’t keep secrets. Trust me. Trust that I love you,” she told him.  
He sighed loudly. “Fine.”  
She smiled and leaned over to nuzzle his neck. “I know it’ll be hard but I have faith in you. You can do it.”  
He laughed softly and kissed her.


	13. Chapter 13

“I need to talk to you,” Wilson said after he checked on Cuddy.  
“So how was she?” House asked with a salacious grin.  
“How was who?”  
“Hilary. You two finally did the nasty.”  
Wilson’s eyes widened. “What…..who….”  
“Oh come on. Death makes people want to have sex. It’s instinct. A need to propagate the species. So? How was it?”  
A smile curved on Wilson’s lips. “It was hot.” Then he rubbed the back of his neck. “It was also a mistake. It never should have happened.”  
“It was bound to happen sooner or later. I’m surprised it took you this long. So what’s the problem?”  
“She seduced me.”  
“Right, and I’m sure you put up a fight.”  
“Well…”  
“It’s not a bad thing you know. She needed you, and you were there for her.”  
“I just don’t want her to get the wrong idea.”  
“About what?”  
“What if this doesn’t go anywhere?”  
“Then it doesn’t. You’re both adults.”  
“With you being with Cameron it could be awkward…”  
House rolled his eyes. “Oh grow up, Wilson. Anyway, Cuddy is ready to go so get her and Jeeves will take you back to Princeton.”  
“That’s it? That’s all you’re going to say to me?”  
House shrugged. “What did you expect me to do? Pat you on the back and congratulate you?”  
“Well, yeah, actually.”  
“It was just sex, and you’re obviously not proud of it so why would I do that?”  
“I don’t even know. I’ll see you when I see you.”  
***  
Meanwhile, Cameron sat by the pool reading a medical journal while she sipped a mojito. Hilary came out to join her and stretched out on a lounger, smiling.  
“You look like the cat that caught the canary,” Cameron chuckled. “What’s going on?”  
“Nothing.”  
“Right. Spill it.”  
Hilary ducked her head. “James and I made love.”  
Cameron arched her brows and sat forward. “And….”  
Hilary shrugged and smiled slightly. “It was….fantastic. Oh, Allison, he was so good. It was hot and….oh, God.”  
“Where?”  
“Billiards room. On the pool table.”  
“Who initiated it?” Cameron asked eyes bright with interest.  
Hilary laughed. “I did.”  
“I thought you were going to let him lead.”  
“I was. But he was so sweet and looked so hot…”  
Cameron laughed. “Hot and hard?”  
“So damn hard. Alliecat, he was huge! It was amazing. He just pounded into me and I came so hard.”  
“So what happens now? And don’t ever call me Alliecat in front of Greg,” Cameron said with a smile.  
Hilary shrugged. “He goes back to Princeton in about an hour. Jeeves is driving him. Damn! I mean Bennings!” She shook her head. “Anyway, once he’s done in Princeton, he’s flying out to Asheville. I’m going to get Maria to help him find a place to live.”  
“So are you two friends with benefits now?”  
Hilary sat up and pulled her knees up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees. “I honestly don’t know. I just-”  
“Zip,” Cameron said softly.   
Hilary looked over her shoulder. Wilson walked across the grass toward them. Cameron gathered up her medical journal, glass and towel. She stood and smiled at Wilson.  
“Have a safe trip,” she told him as she passed him.  
“Uh, thanks,” he responded with a slight frown. He stopped beside Hilary and shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans.  
Hilary shaded her eyes and looked up at him. “When are you leaving?” she asked trying to sound nonchalant and failing miserably.  
“Soon,” he told her. “I want to ask you something.”  
She nodded. “What?”  
He swallowed nervously and looked around. “Would you like to come with me to Princeton?”  
“Do you want me to come with you?”  
He nodded.  
“Are we still just friends?” she asked.  
“Are we?” he asked looking directly at her.  
She sighed. “Yes and no.”  
Wilson looked at her in confusion. She patted the lounger and he sat on the edge.  
“I think…..” she began and then blew out her breath in frustration.  
“We could be more than friends?” he asked. “We could have a real relationship?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Does that scare you?”  
“Does that scare you?” she asked.  
“A little. I’ve never met anyone who makes me feel the way you do,” he told her.  
“With Rick it was different,” she told him. “But I really feel like we could have something good and permanent.”  
He nodded. “So do I.”  
Hilary smiled. “Then I guess I’m going to Princeton with you.”  
Wilson leaned forward and kissed her.  
***  
House found Cameron making their bed and leaned against the doorway. “Hilary went back to Princeton with Wilson and Cuddy.”  
Cameron paused and looked at him. “What? Seriously?”  
“Yep. They just left.”  
“Oh, well good.”  
“Is it? You know they screwed each others’ brains out, right?”  
Cameron giggled. “Yeah, she told me.”  
“And Wilson told me. God...he’s such a drama queen. Is this our life now? Dealing with their drama?”  
“‘Fraid so.”  
She stood upright and smiled at him. “So, what are you up to?”  
“Nothing. I was just about to go to the kitchen to have a snack but now that you’re here,” he said, giving her his naughty grin, “plans have changed.”  
“Oh no, I’m not messing up this bed….”  
“Who says we have to mess it up?” he asked as he advanced towards her, closing the door behind him and locking it.  
“Because I know you and your penchant for ripping up the sheets, as it were.”  
He reached for her and pulled her against him. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. Come on, Cameron,” he whispered against her lips. “I know you like Afternoon Delight. That sleep lab at PPTH never saw so much action. Or the janitor’s closets.”  
Cameron laughed. “I knew it! You were jealous!”  
He nuzzled her neck and kissed behind her ear. “So what if I was?”  
“Mission accomplished,” she giggled again as he growled and started walking with her toward the bed.  
“House…”  
He stopped and looked at her. “What’s wrong?”  
“Nothing I’m just not feeling this right now. Too much on my mind I guess.”  
“Like what?”  
“Where we’re going to live, for starters.”  
“Well, that depends. You want a house as opposed to an apartment or condo, right?”  
“Preferably.”  
“Then we’ll go online later and see what we can find, then go down and look at them in person. We have lots of time, Cameron. The hospital isn’t ready for at least another couple of months. And that being said, what about our wedding? You haven’t said anything about that. It begs the question why. Usually women go apeshit and buy every bridal magazine in the store, yet you’ve been reading medical journals instead.”  
“Excuse me for not going ballistic over the word ‘wedding’. I didn’t think we were rushing into it. Planning a wedding takes time, and right now I’d rather concentrate on where we’re going to live and the new hospital. Is that a crime?”  
“No, I just thought you might’ve been a little more excited,” he said, looking sullen.  
Cameron rolled her eyes. “I am excited. I want to marry you more than anything.”  
“But…”  
“No but, I’d just rather get our living and career details settled first.” She placed her hands on his chest and slid them up to link around his neck. “Admit it, you’re looking forward to the new hospital too. Choosing your own cases, your own team, no clinic duty, being on the hiring committee. It’s everything you could ever want. We can get married when the dust settles.” She leaned up and placed a soft kiss on his lips. Then another. “House…”  
He smiled down at her and returned her kisses with more enthusiasm. Before they realized it, they had undressed each other and were falling breathlessly onto the bed.  
“So much for my nicely made bed,” she giggled as she rolled on top of him.   
“You’ll just have to make it again.”  
“And you’re going to help me.”  
“Mommmm,” he whined, then his whine turned into a soft groan as she shoved his T-shirt up and raked her nails over his nipples.  
“Such a big baby,” she teased as she kissed her way down his stomach, following the trail that led down to his jeans, which she quickly unbuttoned.  
“You’ve got the big part right,” he leered as he made his cock twitch inside his shorts.  
Cameron released him from his shorts and placed kisses along his shaft before taking him into her warm, wet mouth, swirling her tongue over the tip and making him groan loud enough to wake the dead. He wanted to watch, he really did, but the sensations flowing through him made it that much more difficult. All he could do was close his eyes and fall back against the mattress.  
Cameron had skills, that was for sure, and he couldn’t help thrusting into her mouth. She took all of him, increasing her speed, stopping every so often to kiss and lick him like a popsicle.  
He was close; so close. Then every muscle in his body clenched and he moaned loudly. He could feel his cock pulsing and her mouth moving in time with each pulse. Intense waves of pleasure pounded over him. He twisted the sheet in his hands and gasped for air.  
“Oh, Jesus, Allison!” he shouted.   
Slowly each muscle relaxed and the waves slowed leaving him limp and gasping for air. Cameron slid up his sweat covered body until she lay on top of him. She kissed and sucked his neck. He licked his lips and sighed. Lifting one hand, he lazily stroked her back. She slid down him a bit and rested her head on his chest. His breathing and heart rate returned to normal and he shivered slightly as the cool air dried the sweat covering him. Cameron rolled off him and pulled the sheet over them. She pressed against his side, sliding her leg between his. Resting her head on his shoulder, she draped one arm across his chest. He shifted and wrapped one arm around her pulling her closer.  
“Are you going to get all screechy and angry if I go to sleep?” he yawned.  
He felt her smile. “No. I’m too sleepy. Too much sun and exercise,” she joked softly.  
His eyes slowly closed and he drifted off to sleep.  
***  
Wilson parked outside his hotel. Hilary looked at him in surprise.  
“Seriously?” she asked anger adding an edge to her voice. “Are we going to have a quickie and then you dump me?”  
Wilson frowned as he turned the car off. “What? No. I live here.”  
Hilary folded her arms and looked at him in disbelief.  
“I do,” he told her. “When my wife left me, I stayed with House for a while then I moved in here. I never got around to getting an apartment.”  
Hilary slumped in her seat. She unfolded her arms and rubbed her hands up and down her thighs. “Sorry. Old habits die hard.”  
He nodded. “Yeah, they do. It won’t take long here. I just need to pack up my clothes and settle my bill. Then we’ll head over to the hospital and pack up my office.”  
She turned and smiled at him. “Okay.”  
They spent the rest of the day packing up Wilson’s things. As Wilson walked out with the last box, he asked Hilary to go check on Cuddy. Hilary nodded and headed up to her hospital room. Cuddy lay in bed hooked up to several IVs and monitors. She was pale but alert.   
“Where’s Wilson?” she asked Hilary.  
“Taking some boxes out to his car. How are you feeling?”  
“Weak. The withdrawal is terrible. I don’t know how House stood it. The lab discovered heroin and benzodiazepine in my system,” she said.  
“What is benzodiazepine?”  
“It basically calms you down. He used it to bring me down from the heroin,” Cuddy told her.  
“Did you get your job back?”  
“Yes. Once the board knew the truth, they reinstated me,” Cuddy replied. “The state attorney came to see me earlier. Will you tell Wilson that Greyson will appear before the grand jury next week? Maybe you can tell House and Cameron, too?”  
“What are they charging him with?” Hilary asked her. “I mean besides being a lying douche.”  
Cuddy laughed softly. “Attempted murder, intent to distribute, trespassing, possession of controlled substances, and possession of child porn. They found it on his computer.”  
Hilary’s face twisted in disgust. “Ewwww.”  
Cuddy shuddered. “I know. I’m going to testify and so is his friend, Lucas Douglas. He tried to get Lucas to dose me but he refused. A nurse here did it. He cut a deal for a shorter sentence in exchange for his testimony.”  
“I hope they put that disgusting sack of shit under the jail.”  
Cuddy nodded. “Me, too,” she said. She smiled. “Well, good luck in North Carolina.”   
“Thanks,” Hilary smiled. “I’m glad you’re going to be okay.”  
“So am I,” Cuddy sighed.   
Hilary left the hospital room and walked down to Wilson’s car. He had the trunk open and was arranging boxes in it. She peered in and then looked at him.  
“Well, Doctor Cuddy is doing okay,” she told him. “The state attorney came to see her and Greyson is being charged with attempted murder, intent to distribute, trespassing, possession of drugs, and possession of child porn. He is just one sick, twisted perv. Oh, and she said they found heroin and benzo..benzo…”  
“Benzodiazepine,” Wilson said. “The combo nearly killed her.” He shut the trunk. Wiping his forehead, he leaned against the back of the car. “Child porn??” he asked in shock.   
“I know. He’s probably a pedophile. Come to think of it, most of the girls he dated seemed awfully young.”  
“House is going to hit the roof when he hears about all this,” Wilson told her. “He’ll tolerate a lot but not child pornagraphy or pedophiles. He thinks the age gap between him and Cameron is pushing it.”  
“Yeah, but they’re so happy together and she isn’t a teenager.”  
“House would never be involved with a teenager,” Wilson told her. “And believe me, he could have been. The daughter of a clinic patient stalked him for a while. She was seventeen and House enjoyed torturing Cuddy about her. He didn’t encourage the girl, though. House likes women closer to his own age.”   
“Some men do,” she replied.   
“Okay,” he sighed. “I returned my keys and badge to HR so we’re done. Do you want to stop and have dinner on the way back?”  
“That sounds good,” Hilary replied as they walked to the front of the car. She opened the passenger door and got in.   
They stopped at a diner where they ate dinner before continuing on. It was dark when they arrived at the estate.  
“Just leave everything in the car,” Hilary told him as they got out. “Bennings will make sure it all gets shipped to Asheville.”  
Wilson took her hand as they entered the house. “All this is going to take some getting used to,” he told her.  
“You’ll acclimate,” she smiled.   
They stopped at the foot of the stairs. Hilary looked up and then across at him. “Your room or mine?” she asked.  
“Yours,” he told her with a smile.


	14. Chapter 14

Hunger pangs woke House. The room was dark and he reached up to turn on the bedside lamp. Cameron lay with her back pressed against his side. He craned his neck and saw she was sound asleep. Carefully, he got out of bed and went into the closet. He pulled on pajama pants and a t-shirt. On his way out of the room, he grabbed his cane.  
Wilson sat at the large island in the kitchen drinking a glass of milk. House looked at him in surprise.  
“I figured you’d be down the Bunny hole,” House commented as he rummaged in the refrigerator.  
“Been twice but I can’t sleep,” he responded.  
House pulled out a platter of sandwiches left from the memorial reception and put it on the counter. He grabbed the milk and poured himself a glass before sitting down. He devoured two sandwiches as Wilson watched.  
“Gonna need your help,” House told him as he picked up another sandwich.  
“Does it involve committing a felony?”  
“No. I want another ketamine treatment.”  
Wilson stared at him in shock. “The last one didn’t work.”  
House smirked. “That’s because you’re a lying, manipulative bitch.”  
“I did it-”  
“Yeah, yeah,” House interrupted. “You did it for my own good. Whatever. This time is different. It’ll work.”  
“What does Cameron think?” Wilson asked him as he took a sandwich.  
House took a huge bite of his own sandwich and looked around.  
Wilson rolled his eyes. “You didn’t tell her, did you?”  
House swallowed. “I need this,” he said quietly. “I’ll tell her once it’s done.”  
“This is not good,” Wilson sighed.  
House reached across and grabbed half of his sandwich. “Gonna help me or not?”  
Pushing the remainder of his sandwich toward House, he finished his milk. “When and where?”   
“Pushover,” House grinned. “My apartment when Allison and the others leave for Asheville.”  
“No.”  
House narrowed his eyes when Wilson held up a hand. “ _My_ apartment in Asheville. We’ll tell them we’re going to meet with prospective admins for the hospital.”  
“If you were a woman, I’d kiss you,” House grinned.  
Wilson got up. “Thank God I’m a man.”  
House watched him go and then finished the rest of the sandwiches along with the milk.

“What’re you up to?” House asked Cameron a couple days later when he found her in the library with her laptop.   
“Looking at homes. So many choices.”  
“Anything good?” he asked as he joined her on the couch.  
“A few possibilities. I like ranchers…”  
When he arched an eyebrow at her, she sighed. “Not just because of your leg. I’ve always liked them, I also like an open floor plan.”  
“This is your thing. Just tell me where to sign on the dotted line.”  
She cocked her head to one side. “This will be our place, House. I want you to have at least some say in the choice.”  
“I’ll go with you when you want to check them out.”  
She nodded and leaned over to place a peck on his cheek. “Good. Let me show you a few places that I’m considering.”  
After an hour, they’d narrowed their search down to three homes in Asheville and Black Mountain, and made appointments to check them out over the coming weekend. “We can stay at GG’s while we’re looking. There are also lots of open houses going on so if you’re up to it, we can check them out too,” Cameron said.  
House nodded. “Sounds good. Wilson said he’s already found an apartment and it’s available now so he’s moving in over the weekend. It’s in Asheville. Also, Mundell wants him and me to scope out potential administrators for the hospital and we have a few lined up for interviews next week. So that’s what we’ll be doing.”  
“That can be your project, decorating the new place will be mine.”  
House leaned over and kissed her. “Now that’s what I call a compromise.”  
She smiled at him. “Well all good relationships are based on truth, trust, and compromise.”  
He stood up and looked at the fireplace. “So you’re good with me going with Wilson?”  
She nodded. “Sure. Hilary and I are leaving next week. Try to behave,” she said teasingly.  
House rolled his eyes. “Well now I won’t have any fun.”  
Cameron laughed. “Go pack. I’ll see you next week.”  
House leaned down and kissed her hard. “I love you,” he whispered against her lips.  
She stroked his cheek. “I love you, too.”  
“I would do anything for you. You know that, don’t you?”  
She smiled and kissed him. “I would, too.”  
House stood and limped quickly from the room. He closed the doors and leaned against them. She would understand. She had to. He was doing the ketamine treatment for both of them. So, she would understand. Pushing away from the doors, he slowly made his way upstairs and packed.  
***  
A week later, Wilson stood beside the bed in the spare room of his new apartment. He adjusted the monitors House “borrowed” from the hospital and double checked the bag of ketamine hanging from an IV stand. A sound behind him made him jump slightly. House stood behind him wearing a t-shirt and loose shorts. A catheter tube ran up his leg into his shorts and he held the bag. His hair was cropped shorter and he was clean-shaven.   
“You shaved and cut your hair?” Wilson asked.  
House got into the bed and arranged the catheter. “I thought you’d be more interested in the fact I inserted my own catheter,” he replied.  
“Shockingly, that doesn’t surprise me,” Wilson replied as he swabbed the back of House’s right hand.   
House winced slightly when Wilson inserted the IV needle. “I hope you don’t stick your patients.”  
“If you wanted gentle, you should have told Cameron.”  
House looked up at the IV bag as Wilson applied a pulse oximeter and EKG patches. Once everything was ready, House closed his eyes. Then he opened them again.  
“Don’t try anything funny while I’m out,” he told Wilson.  
Wilson smirked at him and opened the valve on the IV. Within about a minute, House was out. Wilson pulled a chair up to the bed and turned on the television.

The next morning, something woke Wilson. He sat up slowly and twisted his neck to work out the kinks. The television still droned but he heard someone moving around in the apartment. He got up and unlocked the door. He slipped out and closed the door as quietly as possible. Treading as lightly as possible, he quickly made his way down the hallway and then down the short flight of stairs to the living room. Hilary stood by the couch unpacking a large shopping bag. She looked up when she saw him.  
“Morning!” she smiled. “I brought those pillows we liked so much.”  
He crossed the room and kissed her. “Thanks.”  
She put the pillows on the couch and then stood back to look at them. Wilson looked toward the hallway. He had to get rid of her without making her suspicious. She switched two pillows then sighed happily.  
“Oh, and I got the bedding for the spare room,” she told him as she picked up the bag and started to walk toward the hallway. Wilson ran and jumped in front of her.  
“You don’t have to worry about that now,” he said trying to take the bag from her. “I’ll put it on the bed.”  
She pulled the bag free from his hand. “But I want to see it. It won’t take me long.”  
Before he could move or think, she opened the door to the spare room.  
“WHAT THE FUCK??” she yelled. She turned to look down the hall at Wilson. “Why is he hooked up to all that stuff?? Is he sick? I’m calling Allison.”  
Wilson stood staring at her in shock as she pulled out her phone and descended on him. He was dimly aware of her talking to Cameron and then clicking off her phone. When she smacked his cheek, he shook his head.  
“It’s ketamine. It works like a reboot for his brain,” he told her softly. “He shouldn’t be in pain when he comes to.”  
Hilary shook her head. “What?”  
“It’s a drug that can stop the pain in his leg. He got it about a year ago.” Wilson looked down at his hands. “It worked for awhile. He’s constantly in pain, Hilary. You see how many Vicodin he takes. If this works, he’ll be able to walk without his cane and stop taking the Vicodin. I’ll leave him under long enough so he doesn’t go through withdrawal from the Vicodin. It’s what he wants.”  
“Why didn’t he tell Allison?” she demanded. “She’s his fiancee. She has a right to know.”  
“I told him that. He wants to surprise her.”   
Hilary blew out her breath in disbelief. “This is not a surprise. This is a lie. You lied to me, too.”  
The front door banged open and Cameron dashed in. “Where is he?”  
“The spare room.”  
Cameron ran past him and into the room. Hilary and Wilson followed her. She stood beside the bed looking at the IV bag. She turned when they entered. Two red spots burned on her cheeks and her eyes flashed.  
“Ketamine??”  
Wilson nodded. “He’s tired of being in pain.”  
“I know he is but he didn’t have to lie to me,” Cameron said anger sharp in her voice. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “I can’t deal with him or this right now.”  
She stalked past them and Wilson flinched when the front door slammed shut.  
“You’re both idiots,” Hilary told him then turned and left.  
“Yes, we are,” Wilson said softly.   
***  
Wilson took a deep breath and brought House out of the coma. He hoped it worked, and that the Vicodin had worked its way out of his system as well. After some time, House’s eyes fluttered open and he looked around.  
“Hey,” Wilson said, trying to look nonchalant but he knew House would see right through it.  
“Hey,” House replied, his voice raspy. “Water?”  
Wilson went, brought him a glass of ice water and sat down. “How do you feel?”  
“Okay, I guess. My leg isn’t throbbing, which is a very good sign. It always does in the morning.”  
“That’s good then. You’re going to need some PT.”  
House nodded. “Don’t remind me. I’ll make sure the house Cameron and I pick will have space for some sort of a home gym.”  
Wilson nodded but he rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, causing House to narrow his eyes.   
“What?”  
“Nothing.”  
“No, that’s not nothing. What’s going on?”  
“House…”  
House sat up straighter and bared his teeth. “What?” he asked again, his voice louder.  
“She knows, House.”  
“How?”  
“Hilary came over, I tried to stop her from coming in here, but she saw you and told Cameron, who came over to see for herself. She’s really mad. You two might never recover from this.”  
House sighed. “She’ll come around. She hasn’t been able to stay mad at me for long.”  
“I don’t know.”  
“Where is she now?”  
“GG’s house with Hilary.”  
“Where’s my phone?”  
“You really think she’s going to talk to you?”  
“If she doesn’t, we’re going to GG’s.”   
Wilson handed over House’s cell and he called Cameron’s but it went straight to voicemail. “Cameron, it’s House. I know you’re upset but at least let me talk to you. I’ll be at Wilson’s.” He sighed as he ended the call.  
“She’s not going to call you back, House. I’ll be shocked if she does.”  
“She will.”  
“But what if she doesn’t?”  
“Well that’s not going to cheer me up, is it?” House threw the covers back as Wilson removed the IV and other wires from him.  
“Take it slow.”  
“I know,” House snapped. His only focus was getting to Cameron. He knew she’d be mad and he really hoped he’d be able to make her see his side of things.


	15. Chapter 15

“That’s the third time he’s called in the last three hours,” Hilary pointed out.  
“And he can call another dozen times for all I care!” Cameron snapped back at her sister. “What the hell is wrong with you?” Hilary shouted. “He did it for you! He’ll be out of pain…”  
“If it worked,” Cameron pointed out.  
“Why wouldn’t it?”  
“He’s had Ketamine before. It only lasted a few months.”  
“Maybe this time it will be better.”  
“It’s a 50/50 chance at best. And if it doesn’t, then what? He ruined our relationship for nothing.”  
“You’re seriously going to dump him after all you two have been through?”  
“We haven’t been through much of anything! We’ve only technically been a couple for less than a month!”  
“So? He loves you! I don’t know him very well but I can read people, and I know he wouldn’t even contemplate marrying you if he wasn’t madly in love with you. He knew you were worried about him taking so much Vicodin so this was the best chance.”  
“He could have told me! He should have told me! We had a talk before about keeping secrets from each other.”  
“But this is a good secret!”  
“Why are you defending him? Who’s side are you on?”  
“His! If you leave him over this, then you’re being dumb! I know you love him, so why can’t you just embrace the fact that he did this for you and get over yourself?” And with that, Hilary stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.  
***   
House was livid. Cameron hadn’t returned his calls since he woke from his coma the week before.   
“She went back to Alpine, House.”  
“I guess then, so am I.”  
“Sure you’re up to it?”  
“I’m going to have to be. I can use the gym there.”  
“Well, don’t be surprised if you get a chilly reception. Mundell isn’t pleased.”  
“Of course he’s not. I hurt his little princess. Speaking of which, maybe I should call him first.”  
“Might be a good idea. Especially if they’ve already changed the locks.”  
“Very funny.”  
House took a deep breath and dialed Mundell, who answered on the third ring. “Doctor House.”  
“Brrr...chilly.”  
“What did you expect? A warm reception after what you’ve done?”  
“What is it that you think I’ve done, exactly?”  
“It doesn’t matter, but it matters to Allison.”  
“Don’t you get it? I did it for her and for me. I know she hated seeing me in pain and I hated being in pain. The Ketamine treatment worked. I’m not in pain and I’m not using a cane anymore.”  
“It worked? You’re really pain free?”  
“Yes. But Allison won’t take my calls or answer my emails. All I want her to know is that I’m sorry I didn’t tell her but deep down I know she knows why I didn’t. I just wanted to surprise her. How is that a bad thing?”  
There was silence on the other end and House knew Mundell had caved.  
“Is she there now?”  
“Yes. And I’ll talk to her, but I suggest if you want to save what’s left of your relationship you get the hell up here.” Then the line went dead. House smiled as he slipped his phone into his pocket.  
He grinned at Wilson. “Looks like I’m going to Alpine.”  
***  
Two days later, Bennings picked up House from the airport. “At least you don’t seem to hate me, Jeeves.”  
“I don’t pass judgement on anyone, Doctor House. What’s going on with you and Miss Allison has nothing to do with me.”  
House nodded. “Good man. Have I missed anything?”  
“Nothing out of the ordinary.”  
“Does Allison know I’m coming?”  
“No.”  
“Good.”  
“Mister Langston tells me you had some kind of procedure.”  
“It’s called a Ketamine induced coma. I was under for about two days, and also slept through what would have been the worst of my Vicodin withdrawal.”  
“Interesting. I noticed when I pulled up you didn’t have your cane, but you still have a limp.”  
“Yeah, that’ll take some time to work on. I’ve been using it for years. Gotta strengthen the muscles.”  
“Well, the home gym should have all the equipment you need to do that.”  
“That’s the plan.”  
Meanwhile, Cameron saw the gates open and the family car drive through. “Expecting someone?” she asked her father.  
“No, but you are.”  
Her face went red. “You called House?”  
“No, he called me, since you refused to speak to him.”  
“And you didn’t tell me he was coming?”  
“No, because I knew you’d find some excuse to take off before he got here. Really, Allison,” he said as he shook his head. “Aren’t you overreacting just a little bit?”  
“He lied!”  
“How so?”  
“He didn’t tell me he was…”  
Mundell shook his finger at her. “That’s not a lie, it’s an omission. He just wanted to surprise you and he didn’t want you to worry about him.”  
“And you believe him?”  
“Yes, as a matter of fact. He loves you. He did this for you as well as himself. You of all people should realize that House never does anything for anyone.”  
“You hardly know him and you’re taking his side!”  
“I’m not taking sides, I’m the voice of reason here. Just talk to him. I’d hate to see you throw away a perfectly good relationship and potential marriage over something as trivial as this.”  
“Trivial?” Cameron shouted and then silenced when she heard the front door open and voices in the foyer. What she didn’t hear, however, was the familiar step-thump of House’s cane.  
“Go talk to him, Princess. You haven’t seen each other in over a week. Don’t you miss him just a little?” Mundell asked, looking slightly amused.  
“That’s beside the point,” she hissed and stormed off to her room.   
House heard the slamming doors and sighed as Mundell came down the stairs to greet him.  
“You’re looking well. Under the circumstances it might be better if you took the guest room.”  
“You’re probably right. Thanks for letting me come out here.”  
“She’s in her room. Why don’t you get settled in before you talk to her, let her cool down some,” Mundell suggested.  
“Did she know I was coming?”  
“Not until she saw you arrive. I figured she’d take off if she knew you were coming.”  
“Tricky,” House chuckled as he went to the guest room and put his things away before he steeled himself and went looking for Cameron. However, when he went to her room, she wasn’t there, so he began searching the house. An hour later, he found her outside at the pool. He shook his head. That should have been the first place he looked. She was in the hot tub, sunglasses on, leaning against the side.  
“I hope you’ve got SPF 60 on or higher,” House said as he approached. “Wouldn’t want that nice smooth skin of yours to burn to a crisp.  
Cameron was surprised to see him without his cane. He still had a bit of a limp, but he was definitely walking a lot straighter. It was much like when he’d had the treatment before.  
“Of course. What do you want, House?”  
“Not to be avoided, for one.”  
“Yeah, so now that you’ve found me, start talking. And make it good.”  
He sighed and pulled up a lounge chair to sit on. “I know why you’re upset, but you shouldn’t be. You know why I did what I did.”  
“You should have told me!”  
“I was going to, but then I thought that I’d surprise you by walking to you without the cane next time I saw you. I was so sick and tired of being in pain. Tired of being a cripple. Tired of being a liability to you.”  
“You were never a liability, House!”  
“Oh bullshit! You wanted to buy a rancher for Chrissakes! A fucking rancher because you didn’t want me to be uncomfortable when I know you’d much prefer something on a much grander scale!”  
“That’s not true! You think I expect to live this way for the rest of my life?” she asked, gesturing to their surroundings. “I could live in a shack with you and be just as happy. Money isn’t everything!”  
“It makes the world go round. A rancher might be good enough for you, but not for me. I’ve never lived in a place like this, but if I’m going to invest in a house, I want a big one. And since my leg is no longer an issue, stairs won’t be an issue.”  
“And if the Ketamine wears off like it did the last time? What then?” she snapped.  
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. _If_ we come to it. That’s not the issue here…”  
“Of course it is. You went behind my back! Even after our agreement about trusting each other. What if something happened?”  
“But it didn’t.”  
“But what if it did?”  
“Wilson was there the entire time. Cameron, relax. Everything turned out fine. I realized that last time I didn’t do any physio, I just ran. I should have added some resistance to the mix to develop the muscles in my leg better. If I had, then the pain probably wouldn’t have come back. So that’s what I’m going to do.”  
Cameron walked up the steps and out of the hot tub where House held a towel open for her. When she looked at him, he was smiling, and not just any smile.  
“Your sexy smile isn’t going to work this time, House. I need time to think about this so you best just stay out of my way.”  
“Fine,” he said after her and sighed as he watched her walk back to the house, an obvious swing to her hips that he knew was for his benefit.


	16. Chapter 16

A few more days passed with more avoidance from Cameron and he was sick of it. In the meantime, he spent a lot of time in the pool swimming laps or in the home gym to strengthen the muscles in his leg. He and Mundell also spent time shooting hoops in the indoor basketball court. While Mundell might have been shorter than House, he made up for it with speed and agility that House lacked from years of pain in his leg.   
“You played when you were younger, didn’t you?” House asked the man as they took a break and drank from their water bottles.  
Mundell nodded and grinned. “I was on a team.”  
“I knew it! You’re still pretty good.”  
“Some things you just don’t forget. How’s your leg?”  
“It’s fine.”  
“You’re really pain free?”  
“Yep. Cool, huh?”  
“Very. How did you know the treatment would work?”  
“It worked before, only not as long. I didn’t do any physio like I’m doing now. This should help.”  
“How long did it last before?”  
“A few months.”  
“Well I hope it’s a permanent thing this time.”  
“You and me both.”  
“Do you, or rather, did you play golf?”  
“All the time.”  
“Well then, maybe tomorrow we can play a round.”  
“I saw a golf course on the way here. Yours?”  
“I don’t own it, no,” Mundell said with a chuckle. “But I am a member. If you’d like I could certainly arrange for you to become one as well.”  
“Maybe. I doubt they’d accept me,” House said as he looked off into the distance.  
“You’re a successful doctor and you’re marrying my daughter. That’s all the acceptance you need.” Then Mundell arched an eyebrow at House. “You are still marrying her, aren’t you?”  
“If I can get her to talk to me, sure.”  
“She won’t talk to you?”  
“We had words the other day. She’s really pissed. I don’t know if we can come back from that. I can’t make her understand.”  
“Then try harder. You’re a good man, House. I know your methods are rather...unorthodox at best but I’m sure you had a good reason for doing this the way you did. If she knew you as well as she says or thinks she does, she’d accept that.”  
“Then tell her that, because she wouldn’t have any of it when I tried to explain,” he said, throwing his hands up in defeat.  
“I will, indeed,” Mundell nodded and put his water bottle down. “One more game before lunch?”  
“You’re on.”  
***   
Considering how hot it had been, the weather quickly changed and a big storm was coming.   
“This will be like the one we had that first weekend you were here,” Mundell told House.  
“Allison is still avoiding me.”  
“She won’t be able to for long. You know she’s skittish when there’s a storm, and it’s going to be a big one.”  
House nodded, understanding. He then had an idea and went outside to the garden. Picking out a couple of colorful flowers, he had Bennings arrange them in a small vase and leave them in Cameron’s room as a peace offering. However, an hour later when he returned from his session in the gym, the flowers were sitting outside his bedroom door.  
House glanced out the window. The storm clouds were rolling in so he went back outside and picked eleven red and white roses, a symbol that she was truly and deeply loved by him, and a note which included a sappy poem from a book he found in the library.  
Bennings brought the roses to Cameron and placed them on her dresser as he had done before.  
“Take them back. I don’t want them, or any other thing from him. Is that clear?”  
“Forgive me for saying so, Miss…”  
She glared at Bennings, daring him to continue. “Yes?”  
“But you’re being very stubborn about this. The man loves you. And while he made an error in judgement, which I’m sure isn’t the first time he’s done so, and will unlikely be the last, why do you choose this time to punish him?”  
“You wouldn’t understand…”  
“Try me.” He sat down on a chair. “Oh, you think because I’m a mere valet that I’ve never been in love before? Known what it’s like to lose someone you love over something trivial such as this? Well you’re wrong, Miss. I was a fool for love once too. It didn’t end well. I don’t want to see the same thing happen to you. Go to him. Talk to him, make amends. You’ll feel better for it and so will he. I’m sick and tired of seeing the both of you moping around this house for the last few days. It ends now. Even if I have to drag you by your pretty blonde hair to his room myself.”  
Cameron gasped at his words and opened her mouth to give him what for, but he already left the room.  
She knew Bennings was right, but the small, stubborn streak within her wanted House to be the one to apologize first. After all, it was his doing that got them into this mess, wasn’t it?  
You’re such an idiot! Her inner thoughts screamed at her. You know why he did it. He did it for himself but he also did it so you two would have a better life. How is that a bad thing?  
She sighed and tossed her book aside. The roses were beautiful. It was then she noticed that there were eleven, not twelve, which meant House had done his research and wanted her to know of his devotion in his own way. It made her smile a little and she let out a sigh of defeat. Now, where was he hiding? If he was even hiding.  
She checked out his usual haunts, but he wasn’t in the gym or the theatre room. He certainly wasn’t outside, since it had already started to rain, and he wasn’t in the ballroom playing the piano.  
Finally, she found herself standing outside his bedroom door. The light was on and she could hear the blues playing within. She took a deep breath and knocked. “House...it’s Cameron.”  
She heard only a couple of footsteps and the door flung open to reveal House in his usual jeans and band T-shirt.  
God, but he looked good. He had a slight tan from spending the last few days by the pool and he looked rested.  
“Hi,” he said with a slight shrug. “Need something?”  
“I came to talk but…”  
He stepped aside and ushered her in. “Scotch? We still have some of Greyhound’s brew.”  
“Yeah, that would be good,” Cameron said with a nod as she took a seat in a chair by the fire he had going. He set quite a cozy scene, and she couldn’t help wondering if he had planned it that way.   
_Of course he did. House always has an agenda and will always be at least one step ahead of you. Damnit!_ she thought.  
House handed her a tumbler of the amber liquid, sat down in the chair across from her, closed his eyes and rested his head back. “I assume you came here to talk, so talk,” he said, his voice harsh. “And may I add that it’s about fucking time. I’ve been trying to talk to you since I arrived. I even went so far as to send you flowers and a poem. I guess Jeeves finally read you the riot act, since your father seems to have given up trying to talk some sense into you.”  
“If you’re going to be like this then there’s no point in talking,” Cameron snapped before downing the scotch in one long swallow and rose from her chair. House reached out and placed his hand over hers.  
“Sit.”  
His expression and tone of voice reminded her of her early fellowship days and she sat back down.  
Neither of them spoke at first, but then Cameron couldn’t stand it anymore and broke the silence.   
“The Ketamine worked?”  
“It did. I think it might be for keeps this time. There are things I should have done the first time that I will do this time. It should keep the pain away for good.”  
“That’s all I ever wanted for you,” she said. “It was killing me to see you in so much pain every day. Even more so when we got together.”  
“I know and that’s part of the reason why I decided to do it. I wanted to give you what you wanted. A husband without any limitations.”  
“I never thought of you like that.”  
“I know, but I did. And I remembered how good it felt after the first Ketamine treatment. I felt like a real man again. A whole man, despite the fact that I still had a hole in my leg.”  
He looked at her intensely. “I never lied to you. I was going to tell you after the fact because I wanted it to be a surprise. I didn’t want to be an old cripple on our wedding day. I wanted to stand up there with you without the cane. And I want to be able to carry you over the threshold of our honeymoon suite and our new home. If that makes me a liar then….”  
He stopped talking when he saw the tears rolling down her face, and she quickly wiped them away and smiled at him. “You really are a romantic, aren’t you?” she sniffed.  
“Guilty as charged.”  
He got up to refill their glasses with more Scotch but she refused hers.  
“So, what now?” he asked her once he settled back in his chair and looked at her. “Do you still want to marry me?”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder that we still don't own House.

Cameron was staring at the floor but her head shot up at the question.  
“Of course!”  
House let out the breath he didn’t even know he was holding. “No more secrets.”  
“You said that before,” she pointed out.  
“But it was a good secret,” he said, grinning slightly. “Admit it. You’re happy the procedure worked.”  
“And if it stops working?”  
“Then we’re no worse off than we were before. The only thing that will change is I won’t be able to screw you senseless against a wall anymore.”  
Cameron gave him a shy smile. “You haven’t done that in a while.”  
He returned her smile with one of his sexy, mischievous ones. “Which? Screwed you senseless or screwed you against a wall?”  
She was still smiling at him. “Against the wall.”  
“Well,” he said as he continued to leer at her, “the night is young.”  
“It’s been a long day, House,” she said with a heavy sigh, “and I’m exhausted. Why don’t we talk tomorrow?”  
He didn’t want her to go, not after they seemed to finally be getting somewhere, but he didn’t want to push his luck, either.   
“Okay.”  
“G’night,” she said softly before quickly slipping out of the room.  
***  
The rain and the thunder kept House awake. He had his window open a crack because his room became stuffy but that only made the rain seem louder. His thoughts turned to Cameron and he wondered if she was still awake. Probably, since big storms spooked her and this was certainly a big one. Realizing he wasn’t going to fall asleep anytime soon, and that it was technically “tomorrow”, he got up and went to Cameron’s room.  
She jumped when she heard the knock. “Who’s there?”  
“It’s House.”  
Cameron opened the door to let him in. He immediately wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her with all the passion he could muster.   
“What the…”  
“It’s technically tomorrow,” he murmured against her lips. “You said we could talk…”  
“This isn’t talking,” she giggled as they landed on her bed and he quickly pinned her hands down against the mattress as he straddled her.  
“It’s a better way of talking,” he said as he leaned down to kiss the sensitive area behind her left ear. A soft moan escaped her and she tilted her neck inviting more kisses. He complied by sucking and biting the smooth skin of her throat. Releasing her hands, he ran his hands down her body and pulled her shorts and panties off. She pushed his pajama bottoms off and wrapped her legs around his waist. She stroked the smooth muscles of his back while sighing his name. He gave the quickly reddening spot on her neck a final lick and rose up to look at her.  
“Wall,” she moaned. “Now.”  
He pushed off her and picked her up. She looped her arms around his neck and kissed a trail from his throat to the end of his jaw. He set her on her feet and pulled her camisole over her head before pulling his own shirt off. Bending his head, he circled one taut nipple with his tongue while kneading the firm curves of her ass. Her hands slipped between them and she grasped his cock in both hands. His fingers dug into her smooth skin as she stroked him and massaged his balls. Without meaning to, he bit her breast and she cried out. He licked and sucked the sore spot before kissing his way up to her mouth. Their tongues tangled as she wrapped one leg around him and he lifted her up. He plunged into her and lifted her other leg so both encircled his waist. Bracing his feet, he pumped into her. The feel of her hot, slick muscles sliding against the hard length of his cock made them both groan. Her hands gripped his shoulders. He could feel her nails digging into the skin and muscles. She thrust against him trying to match his rhythm so he slowed until they moved in unison. Her eyes were closed, her face contorted in ecstasy and her skin bloomed with color. Sweat dampened her hair and coated both of them.  
“Oh, Greg,” she moaned.   
He pumped harder and slid one hand between them to rub her swollen clit. She jerked against him and cried out as her inner muscles rippled and clamped down on him. Thrashing against the wall, she screamed his name. He tightened his hold on her and thrust faster. Then he threw his head back and shouted her name as his own orgasm thundered through him. Every muscle in his body tightened and he felt his cock pulsing in her as he came hard and fast. She held him close until he relaxed in her arms. She allowed her legs to drop to the floor as he went soft and slid out of her. Slowly, she pushed him back toward the bed. He sat down and pulled her down next to him. Kissing her deeply, he stroked her hair.  
“Ketamine is good,” she sighed against his mouth.  
He maneuvered her until she was lying on the bed and he stretched out next to her. Pulling her close, he kissed her again.  
“Forgive me?” he whispered.  
“Just don’t keep anything else from me.”  
He nodded. “I won’t.”  
She stroked his chest. “Then all is forgiven.”  
He smiled and she ran her fingers along his lips.   
“Sleep now,” she told him.  
His eyes closed and she settled more comfortably in his arms. The storm continued to rage outside but she fell asleep feeling safe and happy.  
***  
Cameron awoke the next day to bright sunlight streaming in through the windows. She pushed herself up and looked at the empty space beside her. Flipping back the covers, she got out of bed and went into the bathroom. House lay back in the large tub, eyes closed as the jets pulsed against him. Leaning over him, she kissed his forehead. His eyes opened and he looked up at her.  
“Afternoon, sleepy head,” he teased.  
She frowned slightly. “What time is it?”  
“When I finished my workout it was about 12:30. So, I imagine it’s well after one. I guess I wore you out last night,” he smirked.  
She laughed. “Oh, you did.” She disappeared into the smaller room with the toilet. When she emerged, she got into the tub with him. He flicked some water at her.  
“What’s that for?” she asked as she flicked some back at him.  
“Just getting you nice and wet so you can get clean,” he laughed.  
“How’s your leg today? You got quite a workout last night.”  
“Still pain free. But I am too tired from my workout today to have sex with you. So, too bad for you.”  
“Oh, there are other ways to have fun without having sex,” she informed him with a saucy grin.  
“Is that so?”  
“Yep. I think we should head down to Asheville and start planning the wedding. You know, get our registry started, find a location, pick out flowers, linens, centerpieces-”  
“Bah! Stop!” he groaned as he put his hands over his ears. “Let’s just elope.”  
Cameron glided forward and pulled his hands away from his ears. “Sounds good to me,” she said and then kissed him.  
He pulled back and looked at her with wide eyes. “Seriously?”  
She nodded. “Seriously. There’s a hotel just outside Asheville where we can get married. It’s called The Grove Park Inn . There’s a stone terrace that overlooks the mountains. Perfect for a small civil ceremony. We can have Dad, Hilary, Wilson, and Bennings. We can get married and then have dinner there. Nothing fancy or over the top.”  
“Works for me,” he told her and then kissed her. She sank down on top of him but he playfully pushed her away. “No sex, you wanton hussy.”  
She sat back and narrowed her eyes at him. Slowly, she rose and water slid down between her breasts and beaded in the narrow strip of curls between her legs. She lifted one leg over the edge of the tub and then the other. Sauntering over to the stack of towels, she picked one up and began to slowly dry herself. House bit back a groan as he watched her. His cock sprang to attention and she walked back to the tub. Looking down, she laughed.   
“Good luck with that,” she told him with a sweet smile. She turned and sashayed out of the bathroom. House groaned and sank beneath the water.  
***  
House found Cameron on the phone in the kitchen later that afternoon. She smiled at him and continued her conversation. He opened the large refrigerator and pulled out a plate piled with roast beef. He put it on the counter, grabbed bread, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, mayonnaise and mustard. Once he made two sandwiches, he put everything back and grabbed two bottles of root beer. Cameron hung the phone up and joined him at the island.   
“Everything is set. I reserved a couple tables at the terrace restaurant for August 16. A local judge will perform the ceremony and then we’ll have a nice dinner. The pastry chef at the hotel is making us a small cake,” she told him between bites of her sandwich.  
“See,” he told her. “This is one of the reasons I hired you. You get things done.”  
“What does she get done?” Hilary asked as she and Wilson walked into the kitchen. “I take it you two made up?”  
“We did,” House nodded.  
“We’re getting married on August 16 at The Grove Park Inn,” Cameron told them. “Just a small ceremony followed by dinner. You’re my matron of honor, by the way.”  
Hilary nodded and smiled. “So long as I don’t have to wear some hideous dress,” she replied.  
“Nope,” Cameron smiled. “Just something pretty.”  
Wilson looked pointedly at House.  
“Best man,” House said around a mouthful of sandwich nodding at him.  
“Gee, thanks,” Wilson said.  
“Are you going to wear a wedding dress?” Hilary asked.  
“I hadn’t really thought about it, but maybe something simple,” House responded with a grin.  
“Ha, ha,” Hilary told him. “I meant Allison.”  
House nodded. “Yeah, I suppose she could wear one, too.”  
“Yes,” Cameron said with a laugh. “But, like Greg said, something simple. Maybe a tea length dress in blush or blue.”  
“We need to go to Kleinfeld’s and find something,” Hilary said excitedly.  
“Well, I thought I’d look through GG’s clothes. She has some really gorgeous dresses she wore back in the fifties,” Cameron replied. “I’d rather see if I can wear something of hers.”  
Hilary nodded. “I did love wearing her dress at my wedding.”  
House stood up. “I’ll leave you two to all this girly talk. Wilson,” he said pointing toward the entrance of the kitchen. “Come on. I feel like beating your ass at a game of pool.”  
“Huh,” Hilary told him. “Good luck. James is good.”  
“Maybe, but at least I don’t have to worry about being seduced on a pool table when I win,” he said with wide grin, causing Hilary to blush as red as her shirt and Cameron to shake her head and smack her forehead with her hand.  
With the men gone, Hilary narrowed her eyes at her sister, causing Cameron to laugh. “What?? I didn’t say anything. If you’re going to be mad, be mad at Wilson. In the meantime, help me find something of GG’s that’s wedding worthy. We need to start packing her things anyway.”  
Hilary’s lip quivered but she held herself together. “I don’t want to…”  
“Neither do I, but it has to be done, and you know Dad won’t do it. I’m sure as hell not leaving it to the staff, except maybe Bennings, but he’s got enough to do. So let’s go and get it over with, then we’ll never have to do it again. We can kill two birds with one stone if we find something for my wedding in the process.”


	18. Chapter 18

When Cameron and Hilary came down to dinner, both House and Wilson noticed something was off.   
“Find a dress?” House asked Cameron as she sat down.  
“Yeah,” she said and started serving herself from the plate of chicken.  
Wilson caught his eye and shrugged, but started eating his own dinner. They ate in relative silence until Mundell couldn’t stand it anymore. “House tells me you plan to elope and get married in Asheville, Princess.”  
“Yep.”  
“I thought you wanted a big wedding.”  
“I considered it but I know Greg isn’t into that, and I’m not either.”  
“I jokingly suggested we elope,” House said between sips of his beer. “She took me seriously. Who was I to argue?”  
“Smart man. Never argue with a Langston woman,” Mundell said with a chuckle. His smile faded when he looked at his daughters. They seemed depressed but he decided to wait until he could speak to them alone. Bennings told him earlier they both packed up all of his mother’s belongings. He couldn’t bring himself to do it and was secretly relieved they did it. All her most expensive jewelry and keepsakes were already passed on to those she named in her will. The majority went to the girls but some went to women his mother cherished. He remembered her best friend since childhood, Elise, informing him she couldn’t attend the memorial due to lack of finances so he arranged to have her brought in on their jet. He’d known Aunt Elise, as he and the girls called her, his entire life. GG left several keepsakes from her childhood along with her wedding china and a pair of pearl earrings to Elise. He made a mental note to ask Allison to invite her to the wedding. Both his girls loved her almost as much as they loved GG.  
“I found a good PT and masseuse,” House announced into the heavy silence. “The PT is in Asheville but the masseuse is a hooker I used. I used to get a massage with a happy ending from her. Now I’ll just get a massage.” He looked intently at Cameron who pushed her food around on her plate. “The hooker will relocate. Sounds good, right, Allison?”  
She looked up at him with a blank look on her face, “Sure, yes.”  
He continued to watch her closely until she shook her head and blinked.  
“Wait, did you just say your masseuse is a hooker?” she asked with wide eyes.  
“Yep. But I’m not having sex with her anymore.”  
Cameron looked nonplussed. “Why a hooker?”  
House shrugged. “She’s the best one I’ve found. She helps my leg.”  
“Does it still hurt?” she asked with concern.  
“Just after my workouts,” he told her staring hard at her and shifting his head slightly from side to side.  
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Are you just trying to get a reaction out of me?”  
“Did it work?”  
“Greg,” she said. “If she’s the best then use her. So long as you aren’t sleeping with her, I don’t have a problem.”  
“Then what is the problem?” he asked. “You act like someone kicked your kitten.”  
Hilary threw down her fork and knife. “You’re an asshole! You know we spent all afternoon going through GG’s things and packing them up! We’re sad!! Do you even understand that emotion, you thoughtless prick?!?”  
House shrugged and took a bite of his dinner roll. “It’s just clothes and stuff.”  
Hilary emitted a wordless scream and lunged across the table at him. House leaned back out of her reach and watched her. Mundell jumped up and grabbed her. Suddenly Cameron began to laugh. Hilary turned on her with a snarl.  
“What is so damn funny??” she growled at Cameron.  
“You, this,” she laughed and then began to cry. “Don’t you see what he’s doing?”  
Hilary looked at her in confusion.  
“We’re not expressing our pain and sorrow. We’re pushing it down. Greg knows that isn’t healthy so he’s getting us to express it.”  
Hilary burst into tears. “He’s still a prick!” she sobbed.  
“I think we’re all done with dinner,” House announced. He got up and held out his hand to Cameron. “Come on.”  
She took his hand and they left the dining room. Wilson stood and gathered Hilary in his arms. She cried and clung to him. Mundell wiped his eyes and looked around. Wilson held out an arm to him. Mundell allowed Wilson and Hilary to hug him as he cried.  
“Well, that was interesting,” House said as he and Cameron sat downstairs in the wine cellar and drank some brandy out of crystal snifters.  
Cameron chuckled. “I wasn’t expecting her to lash out at you like that. I don’t suggest poking her with a sharp stick in the future.”  
“But it’s so easy,” he whined. “Look, I get that you’re sad about GG. But being depressed about it isn’t going to do either of you any good.”  
“I know. I just miss her so much.”  
He reached out and their fingers interlaced. “I know.”  
“It was hard going through all of her things, figuring out who gets what.”   
She then told House about Aunt Elise and asked about inviting her to the wedding.  
“You can invite whoever you want.”  
“Should we invite anyone from PPTH?”  
House laughed. “Like who? You want Cuddy there so we can rub her nose in it?”  
“Okay, maybe not Cuddy then. What about your parents?”  
House groaned but didn’t say anything.  
“Greg?”  
“I don’t want my father there. But I can’t invite my mother without him.”  
“Still, you should at least let her know. Let her make that decision herself.”  
“Fine, I’ll call her.”  
He reached into his pocket, took out his cell and dialed, praying that his mother answered. When he heard her voice, he an immense feeling of relief washed over him.  
“Hi Mom.”  
 _“Greg! Where have you been? I’ve been calling your apartment for days.”_  
He froze. “Is something wrong?”  
 _“No, no, nothing like that. It’s just that you usually call me right back and you never did, so I worried.”_  
“You can always call my cell phone. You have the number.”  
 _“Oh I know, but you use that for work and I don’t want to bother you since there was no emergency. Anyway, I’m glad you called. Is everything alright?”_  
“Yeah, a lot has happened. I guess the biggest thing is that I’m getting married.”  
There was no sound on the other end at first and he was worried she be in shock. “Mom? Are you there?”  
There was sniffling on the other end and she chuckled. _“Yes, dear, I’m fine. I didn’t realize you were seeing anyone. It’s kind of sudden, isn’t it? I mean, how long have you known each other?”_  
“A few years. Remember Dr. Cameron?”  
 _“The lovely young lady on your team?”_  
“Yeah. Anyway, we’re getting married on August 16th in Asheville and hope you can make it.”  
 _“I’ll be there. I’m not sure about your father though. He might be away on either business or with his fishing buddies.”_  
“Well he’s invited too if he wants to be there, but you know my feelings on that. I’ll email you the details.”  
 _“Thank you, dear, and thanks for calling. Oh, and tell Allison I look forward to seeing her again. She was lovely.”_  
House glanced at Cameron and grinned. “I will, Mom. Bye.” He snapped his phone closed and let out a sigh.   
“You did fine.”  
“Thanks. Just know that if my Dad comes, there’s going to be some tension. He’ll belittle me and put me down, he always has, but I won’t tolerate it if he does it to anyone else in this family.”  
Cameron reached for his hand and their fingers interlaced. “I know.”  
House looked down at their hands. “I hate him,” he said softly.  
“I remember that he said you talked about me all the time but then said he was joking about you.”  
House swallowed hard and looked up at her. “He abused me.”  
Cameron went still. “He what?”  
“Abused me. Physically, emotionally and verbally. Claimed he was toughening me up.”  
Suddenly Cameron sprang from her chair pulling her hand free from his. She began to pace and he could tell she was furious.  
“That monster is not coming to our wedding! I’ll kill him!” she shouted as color exploded on her cheeks and tears filled her eyes. “Why didn’t your mother stop him or leave him?”  
House shrugged. “She tried a few times but he abused her, too. Besides, where would we go? She didn’t go to college and he wouldn’t let her leave.”  
Cameron knelt on the floor in front of him and laid her head in his lap. “I don’t want him at our wedding. I’ll call your mother and tell her myself.”  
House stroked her hair and looked up at the ceiling. “No. It’s better to just hope he goes away fishing. If all else fails, we can sic Hilary on him.”  
Cameron looked up at him in shock. “How can you joke about that monster?”  
“Wilson tells me it’s a coping mechanism. He doesn’t know about the abuse, by the way. You’re only the second person I told. Remember the patient I got trapped into treating? The one who was raped?” Cameron nodded. “I told her.”  
Cameron got up and sat on his left leg, resting her head on his shoulder. “If he comes, I can’t promise to be nice to him.”  
House stroked her arm. “Neither can I.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [The Grove Park Inn](https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/asheville-grove-park)

The Grove Park Inn was a beautiful resort built from local stones and House was impressed. He was even more impressed with the golf course, as was Wilson, and they made plans to play a few rounds while they were there.  
He took the liberty of reserving one of the premium suites for their wedding night as a surprise for Cameron, and also booked their honeymoon in Europe for two weeks as another surprise. He never thought he’d look forward to a wedding, certainly not his own, and the idea made him smile.  
He kept that smile when he picked up his mother from the airport. She came alone, and for that, he was exceptionally grateful. He didn’t want or need any tension his father might cause them. Now he could just relax and enjoy himself. As much as House could enjoy anything, that is.  
When he saw her come toward him with one suitcase, he approached her and they hugged tightly.  
“You look very well, dear,” she said as she looked him over. “This Allison’s been taking good care of you.”  
“Yeah, she has, Mom. I guess Dad was busy?”  
“Out of town. I didn’t ask, and he didn’t say. He does wish you luck though.”  
House arched his eyebrow in surprise. “Really?”  
“Yes, really. He does care about you, Greg. Whether you choose to believe it or not.”  
“I think you know what my choice is.”  
“I do. So, shall we go then? I’m anxious to see this resort and meet Allison and her family.”  
“Yeah, let’s go,” he said as he took her suitcase from her and started walking toward the exit. Suddenly she gasped, not moving, her hands covering her mouth.  
“What?”  
“You’re...you’re not limping and…” her eyes searched his. “Where’s your cane?”  
House smiled at her. “I don’t need it anymore. I had a procedure done and I’m not in pain anymore.”  
“You had surgery and you didn’t tell me?” she gasped.  
“No, it wasn’t surgery. I’ll tell you about it on the way to the resort.”  
When they arrived, it was dinner time so they all decided to eat together. Earlier in the day, Mundell made a reservations for six at The Sunset Terrace. Even Bennings was there, dressed as casually as one could be as Mundell’s valet.  
When House arrived with Blythe, Wilson, Mundell and Bennings all stood up and Mundell approached her first.  
“Mom, this is Mundell Langston. Mundell, my mother, Blythe House.”  
“Mrs. House, it’s both an honor and a pleasure to meet you,” he said as he took her hand and brought it to his lips. House rolled his eyes but was amazed when his mother actually blushed at the attention, especially after Bennings did the same. Wilson simply gave her a hug.  
“And of course you remember, Cameron..err..Allison,” House said as Cameron stepped forward to meet her future mother-in-law.  
“Mrs. House…”  
“Please, call me Blythe. That goes for all of you.” She hugged Cameron and kissed both her cheeks. “Thank you for making Greg happy.”  
“I will certainly try,” Cameron said, sniffling a little.  
“Well,” Mundell said as he clapped his hands together. “Let’s eat, shall we? Blythe, I’ve got a seat for you right here next to your son.”  
“Thank-you.”  
Dinner went amazingly well and everyone seemed to get along just fine. The view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the open terrace was spectacular and Blythe commented on it several times. The men all ordered beer while Cameron and Blythe opted for red wine. Cameron wondered about Hilary’s choice to drink nothing but water but it was warm that evening and she often opted for that instead of alcohol. Still, she made a mental note to keep an eye on her sister. They all dined on steaks except Hilary who ordered the roasted chicken. Again, Cameron looked at her sister. Hilary loved steak. It was her favorite food and The Sunset Terrace was known for its range of perfectly cooked steaks. Something was going on with her sister.  
“Let’s go for a walk,” she whispered to House after dinner ended and everyone left.  
“If by walk you mean have crazy animal sex, I’m game.”  
She laughed. “Well, that’s definitely in the cards, but later. I want a walk first. You have to see the rest of this place. It’s amazing.”  
“Okay, just let me get my Mom settled in.”  
“Oh, I don’t think you need to worry about that. Dad has the situation well in hand.”  
They both glanced over to see Mundell and Blythe seated at a smaller table by the fire in The Grand Hall, two glasses of wine in front of them, and he groaned.  
“You have got to be kidding me.”  
“Oh relax. Stop overthinking things. Your mother is a married woman. My dad isn’t going to overstep any boundaries.”  
House didn’t say what he was thinking about that. Sure she was married, but was she happy? He remembered how relaxed she was when his father left for a mission or some operation for the Marines. He also remembered how tense she was when he returned. When he was gone, she blossomed into a bright, funny, smart woman. When his father returned, she would withdraw into herself which made House hate him even more. As he and Cameron walked along the path beside the golf course, he looked down at her and then back up.  
“He isn’t my father,” he said looking straight ahead.  
Cameron stopped and he stumbled slightly when she didn’t release his hand.  
“What? Of course he is. He’s a horrible man but he’s your father,” she told him.  
“I have a birthmark on my head.”  
She tilted her head, squinted her eyes and looked at him in confusion. “I know. It’s red. I’ve seen it. What does that have to do with anything? I have a birthmark on the outside of my left thigh.”  
House shook his head. “When I was twelve, we learned about genetics in school. I did some extra research and realized John House is not my biological father. For one thing, he was deployed around the time I was conceived. Also, the birthmark matches one a family friend has on his head.”  
“We need to get a DNA sample from him,” Cameron replied. “Then you’ll know for sure and you can cut the bastard loose once and for all.”  
House pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. “This is why I love you so much, Alliecat,” he said smiling at her.  
“Dammit! How did you find out about that nickname?”  
He pulled her close. “The walls have ears,” he smirked before bending his head and kissing her. She responded passionately then pulled back.  
“More like Wilson is a big, fat tattletale and my sister has a big mouth,” she responded with a cheeky grin.  
House laughed and looked over her head. “What the….” he sputtered in shock.  
Cameron twisted her head and gasped. Her father and Blythe stood about forty feet behind them kissing passionately. House released her and they both descended on the other couple.  
“Dad! She’s married!”  
“Mom!! What the hell??”  
Mundell and Blythe broke apart and turned to face their children. Blythe smiled serenely at them and Mundell ducked his head.  
“Well,” Blythe laughed. “I guess I have to tell you now, don’t I, Greg? I left John. He isn’t at out of town. After you called, I realized you were finally happy and I wanted to be, too. Living with John was miserable even after you left home. Because of him, I rarely saw you.” She shrugged and smiled. “I hate that bastard. And, as long as I’m being honest, he isn’t your biological father. James Bell is. I’m sure you remember him.”  
Mundell stepped forward and took Cameron’s hands. “Blythe told me after dinner. Then we came out here for a walk and, well, one thing led to another…”  
House stared at his mother and Cameron blinked several times. “Well, you were right,” she told House. “He isn’t your father.”  
A young man carrying three manilla envelopes approached them. He cleared his throat.  
“Mundell Langston, Allison Langston Cameron and Gregory House?” he asked.  
They all looked at him. He shoved the envelopes in Mundell’s hands. “You’ve been served,” he told them and then left at a near run.  
“I must be having a stroke,” House said. “That’s the only explanation for all of this.”  
Mundell opened the envelope with his name on it. He pulled out a single sheet of paper. “We have been subpoenaed to testify at Greyson’s trial next month,” he said handing the other two envelopes to House and Cameron.”  
House looked at the envelope. “Yep, definitely a stroke.” Then he smiled at Cameron. “At least it won’t interfere with our honeymoon.”  
She blinked. “Where are we going?”  
“Do you want me to tell you or would you rather it be a surprise?”  
She considered it and nodded. “A surprise. Just tell me what I should pack.”  
“The usual.”  
Cameron rolled her eyes. “Well that’s a big help.”  
“Seriously, the climate isn’t anything out of the ordinary. Just don’t forget the sexy lingerie.”  
“As if I would.”  
He leaned over and gave her a kiss that brought a flush to her cheeks. The color staining her cheeks was a combination of desire and slight embarrassment because her father and Blythe were standing nearby watching them with wide smiles.  
“Greg,” Mundell’s tone was part warning, part amusement, “save it for the wedding.”  
“Oh let them be, Mundell,” Blythe whispered as she gave his arm a playful swat. “This is the first time I’ve seen my son this happy. He was never this way with Stacy.”  
“Who’s Stacy?” Mundell asked as Blythe led him away. House tried to interject, to follow them, but Cameron grabbed his arm and pulled him back.  
“Oh no you don’t. We’re continuing our walk and then we’re going to go to bed and you’re going to make mad...passionate...love to me,” she said between kisses. “Because tomorrow night we’ll be sleeping apart before the wedding day.”  
House made a face. “Do we really have to abide by that tradition?”  
“Yes.” She gave him one last kiss and then smiled coyly at him. “I love you, Greg. And I can’t wait to marry you.”  
He grinned back at her. “Remember this feeling. When I’ve screwed up beyond all hope, you’re going to need to think back to this.”  
“You will screw up, but that’s not to say I won’t either. We’re not perfect, House, and that’s why it works for us. Like you said years ago, we’re both damaged, but neither of us needs fixing.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still don't own House. Not me and not Pyewacket. In case you were wondering.

The day of the wedding, the sky was clear and everyone spent the morning relaxing. Wilson, Mundell and House played a round of golf while Cameron, Blythe and Hilary enjoyed the spa.  
When it came time to get ready, House was nervous but Wilson only let him have a couple of drinks before cutting him off.  
“Anything else you need? Something to eat, some water? A getaway car?” Wilson asked with a grin.  
House snickered at Wilson. “No. I’m good.”  
“Good,” Wilson said as he grabbed his boutonniere and pinned it on himself, then put House’s on.  
“Tell me again why we have to wear suits?” House asked as he tugged on his collar. It was a warm day and he was sweating.  
“Be thankful she didn’t make you wear a tux with a bowtie and the whole works.”  
“True.”  
“You can take the jacket off after the ceremony. Now come on, we have to go.”  
The ceremony was held on the edge of The Sunset Terrace overlooking the mountains. Guests of the hotel were welcome to come and watch. House and Wilson stood at the rose covered archway with the local Justice of the Peace.  
Hilary appeared wearing a simple, pale blue, sleeveless satin dress and her long hair fell over her shoulders in soft waves. Her sapphire earrings caught the light and sparkled. She carried a small bouquet of creamy roses.   
House’s breath caught when he saw Cameron on the arm of her father, wearing a very delicate peach colored lace dress with a string of pearls around her neck and dangling from her ears. Her hair was braided and the braids formed a crown across the top of her head. She also carried a bouquet of creamy roses. As she approached House, he suddenly recognized the flowers. They were exactly like the ones in the corsage he bought her when they went on their date. He remembered how pleased she was when he pinned them on her dress.  
“Jesus, House,” Wilson whispered. “You are the luckiest son of a bitch to ever walk the face of the earth.”  
“I know it. Now shut up,” House whispered back and then grinned when she approached, smiling just as widely as he was.  
“You look beautiful,” he whispered in her ear as she stepped up next to him and she smiled. “And you look very handsome.”  
The Justice began the ceremony, and Cameron felt House’s hand slightly trembling as she held it.  
When it came time to say the vows, they turned and faced each other. House looked both nervous and amused. Cameron gave his hands a reassuring squeeze as he said his vows, and she did the same.  
“May we have the rings, please?”  
Wilson stepped forward and handed them over. House’s was a simple platinum band which matched GG’s wedding band that Cameron would soon be wearing.  
“Please repeat after me, Greg. With this ring, I thee wed.”  
He slipped the ring on her finger as he looked at her and repeated the words. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she smiled back at him. He just hoped they were happy tears.  
“Now, Allison, please repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”  
Once she slipped the ring on, he stared at it. Never a man to wear any kind of jewelry, it looked foreign on his hand.  
“By the power vested in me by the state of North Carolina, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride,” the Justice said with a smile.  
“Finally!” House said with a fake groan, while the audience laughed. Then, he pulled Cameron close, kissed her and dipped her backward in true Hollywood fashion while everyone cheered and clapped.  
“Ladies and gentleman, I give you Doctors Gregory and Allison House.”  
They walked down the short aisle as people stood and clapped for them, some threw rice and it made House laugh. He didn’t know people still did that.  
When preparing for the wedding, Mundell reserved Vue 1913 for the reception. Guests were given the option of the beef filet, grilled pork tenderloin or lobster ravioli. When they finished eating, it was time for toasts.  
Wilson went first while the servers topped up everyone’s champagne. “I don’t really have a speech prepared but I will say this: It’s about damn time!”  
House and Cameron looked at each other and laughed, then kissed when everyone clinked their spoons or forks against their glasses.  
Hilary stood up next. She lifted her champagne glass and looked at the happy couple with tears in her eyes.  
“Always remember this day and how much you love each other,” she said with a smile. Everyone drank then clinked their silverware against their glasses again. House kissed Cameron, this time more passionately. Everyone applauded.  
A small four piece band sat in the corner playing blues music. House stood and held out his hand to Cameron.  
“Time for the first dance as husband and wifey,” he told her with a smile.  
He led her to an empty area in the room and the quartet began to play _At Last_. House held her close as they danced singing the words softly in her ear.  
Hilary sat next to Wilson. She used a pale blue handkerchief to wipe the tears from her eyes. Wilson put his arm around her and leaned close to her.  
“You okay?” he whispered.  
She nodded. “It’s just so romantic. They’re so happy and so in love.”   
Wilson nodded. “I’ve never seen either of them this happy.”  
The song ended and Mundell stood up. He walked over to House and tapped his shoulder. House stood back and placed Cameron’s hand in her father’s.  
“My turn,” Mundell told her. The quartet began to play _Somewhere Over The Rainbow_. Cameron smiled broadly as he twirled her around.  
“You remembered,” she said softly.  
“How could I forget?” he asked. “This is the first song you learned to play on the piano. You stood on my feet and sang it while we danced around the library when you were a little girl.”  
“I loved dancing with you. I still do.”  
When the song ended, Mundell kissed her forehead and led her back to House. She sat down and watched her father sit down next to Blythe.  
“Are you going to dance with your mother?” she asked.  
He looked at his mother who sat close to Mundell and smiled serenely at him as they held hands.   
“I was but I hate to pull her away from your dad. I’ve never seen her like this,” he said.  
Cameron looked at her father. His eyes were soft and he smiled in a way she’d never seen. “I know what you mean,” she responded. “I think they’re falling in love.” Her eyes twinkled and there was a teasing note in her voice.  
House made a comically disgusted face. “Ewww.”  
Cameron laughed. “Let’s cut the cake and then get out of here. I want to get our wedding night started,” she told him.  
House stood, grabbed her hand and practically pulled her over to the two tiered cake covered in pale blue fondant and covered in delicate white dogwood blossoms made from sugar. They picked up the knife, sliced the cake, fed it to each other and then House looked out at the guests.  
“Stay and enjoy yourselves. We’re outta here,” he grinned.  
Cameron laughed as he led her to the elevators. House held her hand and looked down at her with a slight smirk.  
“I hope my next wedding is as nice as this one,” he told her with mock sincerity.  
“This is your _only_ wedding,” she told him.  
The elevator doors slid open and House turned to Cameron. He released her hand and picked her up. Carrying her down the hallway, he looked at her.  
“You could stand to eat a cheeseburger or two. You weigh next to nothing,” he told her.  
“Always so romantic,” she laughed.  
He stopped in front of the door to their suite. He looked at the door and then at her. “I took the liberty of getting us the Stickley Suite. Can you open the door so I don’t have to put you down?”  
She laughed and opened the door. He stepped inside and kept the room dark as he kissed her softly, letting his lips brush against hers for a few minutes. Then he gently put her down and turned the light on.   
It started raining during their reception, and still was, but a fire crackled in the fireplace. There was already a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket and some chocolate covered strawberries. Rose petals were scattered on the bed.  
“Wow, you went all out, didn’t you?” Cameron giggled as she wrapped her arms around House’s neck.  
“Nothing’s too good for my wife,” he grinned back at her as he wrapped his arms around her waist.  
“Mmm I love the way that sounds,” she whispered as he placed kisses down her neck.  
“It won’t be a late night,” he said as he nuzzled her neck. “We have an early flight in the morning. Hilary took the liberty of packing your things and our stuff will be waiting downstairs for us when we get a ride to the airport.”  
“Wow, you have thought of everything.”  
“I am that good,” he told her.  
She pulled his head down and kissed him. “Yes, you are.”  
Slowly, they undressed each other, stopping to kiss or caress each other. House slowly maneuvered her to the bed as he removed her silk and lace underwear. She started to remove her sheer thigh high stockings and high heels but House put his hands over hers.  
“Leave them on,” he whispered as in her ear.  
She nodded and fell back on the bed. House stripped off his boxer shorts and lay down next to her. The rose petals released a delicate scent that combined with the sweet scent of Cameron’s skin. She rolled onto her side and began to kiss his neck while stroking his stiff erection. He groaned as she ran her fingers over the tip. Pulling her on top of him, he cupped her breasts, rubbing his fingers over her nipples until they were taut rosy buds. Her head fell back and she moaned softly. He sat up and holding her, he moved to the edge of the bed. He continued to kiss her and explore her body. She did the same and soon they were both panting and covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Lifting her hips, she rubbed against the head of his cock. He groaned and pushed into her. Bracing one hand on the bed, he used the other to stroke her clit. She held onto him as she moved up and down on him. He could feel the silky stockings rubbing against his back as she wrapped her legs around his waist.   
“Oh, Greg!” she moaned as she began to move faster.   
He pressed hard against her swollen, slick nub and she screamed his name as her inner muscles clamped down and pulsed against his cock. The sensation of her muscles squeezing him triggered his own intense orgasm. Falling back, he held her tightly as waves of pleasure crashed over him and caused every muscle in his body to spasm. Finally, he relaxed and Cameron lay limply on top of him. She pressed kisses against his neck as he regained control of his breathing. She rolled to lie beside him.   
“Marriage officially consummated,” he sighed happily.  
“Yes it is,” she laughed softly.  
He sat up and pulled her shoes off then rolled the stockings off her legs. He tossed them on the floor, pulled back the covers and they got into the bed. Cameron pressed up against him and he put his arm around her. She rested her head on his shoulder and slid one leg between his.  
“A short nap,” she murmured sleepily. “Then more consummating.”  
“I love the way your mind works,” he told her kissing the top of her head. Within minutes they were both sound asleep.


	21. Chapter 21

Cameron felt House’s hand as it slid up the length of her body and came to rest on her breast. She placed her hand over his and stirred. “What time is it?”  
“Time to get up, Dr. House.”  
“Mmm..now?” she whined and covered her head with her pillow. She slept so soundly that it seemed like hardly any time passed.  
“I think we can take a little time before we fully wake up,” he whispered in her ear as his hand slid over her stomach next and then lower. “Breakfast is on its way up.”  
“Then we better make this quick.”  
He laughed as his fingers found her nub. He began to stroke her and felt it swell beneath his fingers. He was already hard and she tugged him until he laid on top of her. She wrapped her legs around him as he plunged into her. As he began to move, color bloomed on her skin and tiny drops of sweat appeared. When she arched up to kiss him. her fingers dug into the muscles of his ass, pushing him even deeper.  
“Harder,” she panted as she broke the kiss. “Faster.”  
He pulled out and she mewled in protest. Rising up on his knees, he grabbed her legs, lifted her hips off the bed and slammed into her. Her hands gripped the sheets as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He pounded into her, his cock hitting that sweet spot inside her each time. Her eyes flew open, her mouth formed a tiny “O” and then she arched her back. She screamed his name as she came, her warm juices coating his cock. His legs trembled as he continued to thrust into her. Finally, his own orgasm exploded over him and he moaned her name. His hands tightened on her legs as pleasure spiraled through him. Then, slowly, it ebbed away and he fell to one side, panting. They lay on the bed in a tangle of arms and legs as they panted. Slowly she sat up and pulled her legs from his sweat slicked body. She stretched out beside him and ran her hand over his chest as she kissed him. He reached up and loosened her hair. Two braids fell over them and he pulled the bands off the ends of them. She rolled onto her back and smiled up at him as he unbraided her hair. Soon it was a mass of golden waves spilling over her and the bed.  
“You are so beautiful,” he whispered as he kissed her softly.  
“So are you,” she told him as she stroked his face and smiled into his eyes.  
“I think you need to put on your glasses,” he scoffed playfully.  
She shook her head. “Nope. You are beautiful. Beautiful, smart, funny, sexy, and mine.”  
“Women are beautiful, not men.”  
“The person you are makes you beautiful,” she told him.  
He smiled and kissed her again. Suddenly, her stomach growled loudly. House slid down and kissed her belly then patted it.  
“Okay, got the message,” he smirked. “I’ll feed you then we have a flight to catch.”  
He bounced off the bed and headed into the bathroom. When he emerged a couple minutes later, he wore a thick white terry cloth robe. He went to the door, opened it and removed the _Do Not Disturb_ sign as Cameron stretched lazily. “You are insatiable,” he told her as he watched her.   
“Only with you,” she smiled as she got up and sauntered past him. He lightly smacked her ass and she squealed then scampered to the bathroom. He heard the water start and someone knocked at the door. He looked longingly in the direction of the bathroom.  
“Damn,” he said as he went to the door.  
He stood back as the waiter rolled the cart in with their breakfast. House signed the slip and included a sizable tip. The young man thanked him and left.  
“Better get out here fast,” House called out as he lifted the cloches off their meals. “I’m really hungry!”  
Cameron appeared with wet hair wearing a robe identical to his. He pushed the cart over to the bed and arranged the plates so they were side by side. Cameron climbed onto the bed next to him and grabbed a warm biscuit. She split it open, spooned honey over it and bit into it. Within seconds, she devoured it. As she licked honey from her fingers, she slid a longing glance at House’s biscuit. He looked at her with wide eyes and put one arm hand protectively around his own plate.   
“Mine,” he said.  
She laughed and poured coffee for both of them. “It’s your fault I’m starving,” she told him as she added sugar to his cup. “I burned a massive amount of calories.”  
He picked up his own biscuit. Splitting it open, he slathered it with butter and crammed it into his mouth. “So did I,” he mumbled as he chewed.  
Cameron pushed his coffee toward him and dug into her Eggs Benedict. “So why are we taking a commercial flight?’ she asked between bites.  
He looked at her and then sipped his coffee.  
“Greg?” she persisted. “Why are we taking a commercial flight? You said we have a flight to catch.”  
He picked up his bacon and ate it. “We do.”  
“House! Are we taking a commercial flight or one of the jets?”  
He smiled at her and continued to eat his breakfast.   
“Fine,” she pouted.  
He leaned close and his breath ghosted over her cheek and ear causing her to shiver. “It’s a surprise,” he whispered. “So eat up.”  
Turning her head, she kissed him. “Okay.”  
***  
Bennings drove them to the local airport where the Langston’s Gulfstream G550 awaited them, and they were whisked through security and out onto the tarmac.  
They climbed the steps up to the plane where the pilot and the attendant waited and congratulated them.  
“Some champagne before take-off?”  
The attendant, whose name was JoAnn, held out a tray with two champagne flutes, and then placed some peanuts on their tray. “Buckle up and enjoy your flight. If you need anything, just press the call button.” And then she was gone, leaving them alone in the cabin.  
“Well, this is interesting,” House said as he clinked his glass against hers.  
“What?”  
“I could definitely get used to this.”  
“You certainly seem to be fitting in just fine. And Dad adores you.”  
She noticed he was fidgeting with his wedding ring and chuckled. “Takes some getting used to, doesn’t it?”  
“Yeah. I’ve never worn any kind of jewelry in my life, other than watches.”  
“That will be the _only_ ring you wear, pal,” she giggled as she took a long sip of the champagne. “Damn I think I’m getting a buzz already.”  
“All the better to seduce you, Dr. House,” he said with a comical leer.  
“Are you a member of the Mile High Club?” she laughed.  
“Yes. Are you?”  
“No, but I’m sure you’ll rectify that soon enough.”  
“Damn right I will,” he leered as he grabbed the bottle nearby and filled her glass again. “So drink up. It’s a long flight to London.”  
Her eyes widened. “We’re going to London?”  
“For a few days.”  
“There’s more?”  
“Paris, Venice, Greece and then maybe Switzerland if we have time after being in Germany.”  
“Oh my God…”  
“Does that meet with your approval?” he asked with a satisfied smirk.  
“You’re going to spoil me.”  
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. I’ve lived like a miser for a long time, as you know. Seeing the way you lived, and knowing that I can keep us in that lifestyle, I’ve been doing a bit of soul searching, and making calls to my accountant. We can live very well. You’ll never need or want for anything, I promise.”  
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears and he rolled his eyes. “Oh God what? What did I say?”  
“You think I want you to change your ways?”  
“No, _I_ want to change. We’re going to be running Langston Memorial, and running a department. We should look the part at least. Besides, my Dodge is on its last legs,” he chuckled. “I need something fun. Not a Ferrari like GreyDouche, but something that won’t cost me a fortune in gas, either. So whatever house we find, it has to have at least a two or three car garage.”  
“I’ve been looking and I’ve narrowed it down to a few. We can check them out when we get back in town if they’re still available.”  
House leaned over and kissed her softly. “Sounds like a plan, wife.”  
She smiled against his lips. “Yes it does, husband.”  
Once the plane was in the air and the seatbelt signs were turned off, House got up to use the bathroom. It was twice the size of a regular airplane lavatory, and for that he was grateful. He never liked using them as a rule.  
While he was in there, he could hear the attendant, JoAnn, talking to the pilot.  
“And he’s so much older than her. It’s sick. Don’t you think it’s sick?”  
“You better watch what you say about Miss Allison,” the pilot warned her. “I wouldn’t wanna mess with her Dad, who, may I add, is your employer. And besides, Dr. House seems like a decent guy. Age is just a number, anyway.”  
“He’s old enough to be her father!”  
“Hardly. Go back to your little kitchen and make yourself useful.”  
House waited until she left before he exited the bathroom and took his seat next to Cameron. His jaw was set and she wondered what was going on.   
“House?” she asked as she placed her hand on his arm.   
He turned to her. “Do you think I’m too old for you?”  
She looked surprised by the statement. “You’re asking me this now? We’ve been married less than twenty-four hours.”  
“It’s a valid question.”  
“Then here’s a valid answer. No. I never thought that. What brought this on?”  
“I...overheard the flight attendant talking. She thinks I’m too old for you.”  
Cameron glanced back at JoAnn who was in the galley kitchen getting their in-flight meal ready. “Oh she does, does she? Well so what? She’s not paid to think.”  
Then she smiled at him and placed her hand on his cheek. He leaned into her touch and closed his eyes.   
“Don’t listen to people like that,” she said, her voice soft. “They don’t know us. Well, they know _me_ but...they don’t know us. Besides, older men are hot,” she said with a sexy grin and let her hand trail down his chest to his lap. He felt his cock immediately spring to attention and she pulled him closer for a long kiss, letting her tongue slip into his mouth.  
“The bathroom is huge,” he murmured against her lips.  
“Yes it is. Want a tour of the private room?”  
He arched an eyebrow. “There’s a private room?”  
“Mhm,” she nodded as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “Follow me.”  
He followed her down the aisle to a door labeled _Private_ where she unlocked a door to reveal a bedroom.  
“I’ll be serving the meal in just a few minutes,” JoAnn told them, her voice dripping with contempt as she looked at House. He stepped forward, perfectly ready to rip her a new one but Cameron stepped in between them.   
“You’ll serve it when we’re ready to eat it. Cool your jets. Go back to your Home and Garden magazine. We’re going to be a while.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for the final part of The Homecoming trilogy. Chapter One will be up tomorrow. :D

“Oh baby,” House said as he grabbed Cameron around the waist and pulled her inside, kicking the door closed with his foot so it slammed shut in JoAnne's face.  
She laughed as he picked her up off her feet and dropped her on the bed before climbing on top of her.  
“Ready to join the mile high club, Dr. House?” he asked.  
“Ready when you are, Dr. House,” she giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a long kiss.  
“I’ll bet she’s listening on the other side of the door,” House murmured.  
“Probably. Let’s give her something to listen to, then.”  
“You’re evil. I love it,” House said in a french accent before his lips crashed on hers once more. They quickly removed the rest of their clothes with a feverish intensity until they were both naked and wrapped up in each other. Lips and hands were everywhere and all was forgotten as they enjoyed each other.   
“Wow,” he groaned as he lay on the bed, completely spent and out of breath. “I think we may have overdone it a little.”  
“Well yeah, you are an old man, after all,” Cameron teased and pinched his nipple, making him gasp in surprise. “You really shouldn’t have over-exerted yourself.”  
“It’s hard not to, with such a young, hot wife to keep up with. You’re gonna be the death of me.”  
“Mhm, maybe,” she grinned as she placed a soft kiss on his chest. “But what a way to go.”  
He chuckled and sat up. “Come on, I’m hungry.”  
“You’re always hungry,” she giggled as she tugged her shirt back on and put her hair up in a messy bun.  
“I worked up quite an appetite.”  
Once they were dressed, they came out of the bedroom and House made a show of zipping up his jeans for JoAnn’s benefit. “I’m still alive, in case you were worried.”  
JoAnn’s jaw dropped when he passed by her. “We’ll have lunch now. And some more champagne.”  
“Of course, sir…”  
“Doctor,” he corrected. “Old men can be doctors too, you know.”  
JoAnn looked down at the floor. “You heard me.”  
“It was kind of hard to avoid with the bathroom being right next to the cockpit. Next time, check for the _ocupado_ sign before you stick your foot in your mouth.”  
“Yes, Doctor House,” she murmured with a quick glance at him. She swallowed nervously at the look of contempt in his eyes and color flooded her face.  
He brushed past her. “And in the future be careful what you say or you just might find yourself out of a job.”  
***  
In the end, House and Cameron saw more of their hotel rooms than the countries they visited. Cameron insisted on swimming in the Aegean Sea while they were in Greece. House followed her out into the crystal clear waters and floated on his back as she swam back and forth.  
“You’re like a little mermaid,” he laughed as she floated beside him.  
“Does that mean you’re Prince Eric?”  
“I’m hardly a prince.”  
“You are to me,” she responded. “Prince Gregory.”  
“Does this mean I’ll get the royal treatment from you?”  
She stood up and leaned over him. Water dripped down over her shoulders and between the valley between her breasts. Her nipples strained against the thin fabric of her blue bikini top. Sliding one arm beneath him, she reached into his swimming trunks with the other. He gasped when her hand closed around him, pulled his erection out and began to stroke him. She leaned down and kissed him as her hand moved up and down his rock hard cock. The warm water flowed around them adding to the feeling of desire building in him like a fire. When she rubbed his tip, he jerked in the water and came hard. Cameron held him as pleasure burned through him. When he relaxed, she tucked him back into his trunks and kissed him gently. Slowly, he let his feet lower to the sea floor and stood. Cupping her face, he kissed her deeply. She purred as his tongue tangled with hers. He slowly pulled back and looked at her.   
“I love you,” he whispered. “And you’re getting burned.”  
“Then you better take me back to our cottage,” she whispered kissing his neck.   
Taking her hand, he led her back to their seaside cottage where they stayed until it was time to leave.  
***  
When they arrived in Germany, House told Cameron he wanted to see the concentration camps.   
She looked at him with a slight frown. “Are you sure?” she asked. “I’ve been and...well..it can be pretty intense.”  
“I need to see them,” he told her. “We lived here for a year when I was a teenager and I wasn’t allowed to visit any of them.”  
“Okay. Which ones do you want to see?”  
“Bergen-Belson and Buchenwald. Then I want to go to Poland to see Auschwitz.”  
She nodded. “Okay.”  
It rained when they visited the two camps in Germany. House stood and stared at the the barren landscape.  
“Everything was burned,” he commented quietly. “They wanted to stop the spread of Typhus. It’s just a mass grave now.”   
The silence pressed against them like a vice. Even the rain seemed quiet. Cameron shivered and he looked down at her. Tears slid down her cheeks as she looked out over the camp. House wrapped an arm around her and led her back to their taxi.  
As it drove away, House held Cameron in his arms.   
They visited the other camps and House was again aware of the intense silence. It was as if the very ground held its breath. Cameron opted to wait in the car and House didn’t push her. She saw these places before and didn’t want to see them again. He joined the tour groups and felt both saddened and furious as he walked through the camps. After seeing Auschwitz, they went back to the airport and boarded the jet. House was silent the entire flight. When they arrived in London to refuel, Cameron touched his hand. He looked at her with a slight frown.  
“I talked to the pilot,” she told him. “They’re going to wait. There’s a place I want you to see. We didn’t get to see it when we were here before.”  
He nodded and followed her off the plane to a waiting car. The sun shone down from a clear blue sky. The driver drove through London and they looked at several landmarks as they passed. Soon, they entered the lush countryside and finally stopped in Cambridge.   
“I thought you might like to see Cambridge University,” she told him as they got out of the car. “Hilary read economics here. I came to visit her a few times and fell in love with the place.”  
“ _Read_ economics?” he smiled. “You sound very British when you say that.”  
“That’s how they refer to it. She got a First.”  
“Impressive,” he said as they walked down to the river. They sat down on the grassy bank and watched as rowers in shells raced up and down the river.  
“Their thigh muscles must be huge,” House commented. “Maybe I should get Wilson out in a boat and do some hardcore rowing.”  
Cameron suddenly laughed. “That’s something I’d have to see.”  
Soon, the sun began to sink and House looked at Cameron. “Thank you for bringing me here. Seeing those camps….”  
She leaned against him and stroked his leg. “I know.”  
“I’m hungry,” he told her. “Let’s find a pub and eat something really greasy and wash it down with a few pints.”  
“Sounds good to me.”  
They found a pub, ordered, and then sat watching the people. A soccer match played on the television above the bar.   
“It’s not all that different from home,” House commented once their food and beer arrived. He picked up a thick fry and bit into it. “Even the fries are pretty much the same.”  
“I’ve had a wonderful time but I am ready to get home,” Cameron told him.  
“Then let’s get this to go and get back to the plane.”  
She nodded and he signaled the server. Once their food was packed up they headed back to the airport. JoAnn frowned when she saw the bags of food but kept her mouth shut. Once they were in the air, she came into the cabin where they sat eating and laughing.   
“Would you like some champagne?” she asked stiffly.  
“Make it beer,” Cameron said. “They wouldn’t let us bring any from the pub.”  
JoAnn tightened her lips and went to get the beer. She placed two icy bottles on their table.  
House waved her away when she lingered. “Bye!”  
She turned on her heel and stalked back to the crew area.  
“I don’t think she likes me,” he pouted then laughed.  
“I think we need a new flight attendant,” Cameron responded loudly. “Maybe a young one. One who appreciates older men.”  
House laughed loudly and obnoxiously. “I love it when you get pissed off. Except when you’re pissed off with me.”  
She laughed and looked toward the crew area. JoAnn was nowhere to be seen but Cameron knew she heard everything.  
“Seriously,” she said quietly. “She’s done.”  
House nodded and they finished their meal. Then they went back to the bedroom and made love until they arrived in Asheville.  
***  
The next morning, Hilary sat at the kitchen table at the cabin. Cameron shuffled out of the bedroom wearing one of House’s t-shirts and yawned. She headed for the coffee pot and pulled an over sized mug from the cabinet. As she poured coffee into it, she yawned again.  
“Jet lag?” Hilary asked.  
Cameron picked up her mug and brought it to the table. “Yeah. I’m gonna push through it.”  
“Greg still sleeping?”  
Cameron nodded and sipped her coffee. “How are you?” she asked her sister.  
“I’m pregnant,” Hilary blurted out. And when Cameron didn’t say anything, she continued. “And it’s James’ baby.”

**_To Be Concluded..._ **


End file.
